


The Flame of Battling

by An Observing Litten (HarukaWritesThings)



Series: Litten's Narrative [5]
Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Anime), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types
Genre: Action, Action & Romance, Action/Adventure, Adventure, Battling, Boys In Love, FirstFriendShipping, Fluff, Humor, Love, M/M, Musical References, Platonic Love, Pokémon Sword & Shield videogame references, Pure Love, Romance, SatoGou, Soft Boys, Talking Pokémon (Thank Litten for this), Videogame references (Lots of them!), journeyshipping
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-24
Updated: 2020-09-24
Packaged: 2021-03-08 00:54:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 31,639
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26636923
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HarukaWritesThings/pseuds/An%20Observing%20Litten
Summary: Galar's being fantastic! My Trainer is loving the musical culture from this region, not to mention the Pokémon Battles that she missed so greatly to do! But who would wonder that we would find Ash and Goh visiting Galar as well? There are coincidences that you just can't explain! This is the perfect opportunity for Hope and Ash to accomplish their promise...
Relationships: Gou | Goh/Satoshi | Ash Ketchum
Series: Litten's Narrative [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1745155
Comments: 9
Kudos: 16





	The Flame of Battling

**Author's Note:**

> Howdy! As it was promised: a new chapter for Autumn! I've once again underestimated the time it would take me to write this newest text but at least it is done! I hope everyone had a good Summer, inside the possible, and that you've returned to school/work with the right foot! 
> 
> I repeat this the necessary times: I thank everyone for the positive feedback given so far to all my five texts written up to this date! If you didn't read these stories I highly recommend it to do so before reading this text for an overall enjoyment of the story as they all have continuity!
> 
> A few quick notes:
> 
> \- I like to think that this story happens somewhere between episode 28 and 29 of Pokémon Journeys/Pocket Monsters (2019)! It occurs a little over a week after the events of "Therapy at the Park".  
> \- I'm not an English native speaker so I ask apologies in advance in case the writing is a little weird sometimes.  
> \- Canon characters' voices = Japanese  
> \- It's very likely the Hawaiian sentences have inconsistencies and/or snags because I had to use an automatic translator. It will probably lead to weird meanings when trying to translate from Hawaiian to English. My apologies in advance to native readers if the phrases sound odd!  
> \- (EDIT December 2020) I did a general revision to the text to fix grammar and verbal snags, as well doing some minor alterations. Tags were added. Some links were added for the purpose to improve the overall reading experience.  
> Please enjoy this new text!

“ _Hellooooo! Green fiiiiiiields, and plaiiiiins! I can see your horizooon! It is so obvious!… We are in?!...~_ ”, Hope was joyfully singing out loud, interrupting for a brief moment to point a finger to us, waiting for a lyric completion.

“ _GALAAAR!!~_ ”, we sung out loud.

“ _Aaaaaaaaaaaaah!~ You are so fuuuuuuuull of historyyyy! A hero that embodied the liiiight, turned niiiiiiiight into day three millennia ago!!_ ”

 _Haha, yes!_ This improvised karaoke session reminded me of the Island Challenge I did with our Trainer back in Alola! We were sometimes singing out loud some music to pass some quality time. But now it was more crowded with [Toxtricity’s instrumental work done with his chest protrusion](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZeHWzuRdzMQ) complemented with Thwackey’s percussion and beatboxing. _Oh, right!_ You’re probably asking yourself: since _when_ Hope has got a Thwackey? Since he has joined us as a Grookey in the first days of our journey at Galar region! He’s a perfectionist and has got an obsession to use his pair of wooden sticks to test the sound of the objects he hits with them… _not to mention he often steals Hope’s cap to feel cooler._ He didn’t lose this quirk even upon evolution! No surprise that this simian befriended very quickly with my goofy big baby brother. If you start to talk about music, good luck in making them hush. _It will be easier to silence a screeching Whismur, trust me!_

Watching Hope so cheerful, playing her ukulele while walking with her own feet brought me a more satisfying warmth than the one I feel when preparing a Flamethrower. I was still trying to absorb the fact that my prideful Alolan girl no longer needed a wheelchair. And with her locomotion restored she had reawakened her rebellious side of hers that was on a slumber that I thought until recently it would be eternal.

“ _Nobody knows who carried that sword and that shield, disappearing in the dense morning fog…~_ ”, continued Hope with her singing. After giving a good laugh she deeply inhaled and exhaled. “ _Alright!_ We could sing something else now. What could it- _Huh?..._ ”

Our Trainer frowned after observing something from afar, on the sky. This caught our attention as well.

“ _What’s that?_ ”, I commented to my two brothers.

“ _Is that a flying saucer like the one from the movie we watched yesterday night in Hope’s tablet?_ ”, asked Thwackey in intrigue.

“ _Humans._ ”, noted Toxtricity who was listening carefully to the distant noise emitted.

“Come again?”

“Humans.”

The simian did a worrying face and whispered:

“ _…Humans in a flying saucer?!_ ”

“Stand back!!”, exclaimed Hope to us, alarmed by the fact that the humans that were on the air were approaching at a crazy speed, screaming out of their lungs. _Crash!!!_ Such a big layer of soil dust was lifted with the impact, we couldn’t stop coughing! It was a few meters away from us. “ _Are you three alright?!_ ”

“Yes, Hope! We are!”, I meowed to her. Toxtricity and Thwackey nodded with their heads.

“There were people falling, no doubt about it! We should check if they need assistance!”

We all agreed. Hope quickly saved her ukulele back to her monochromatic backpack and started to run towards the impact spot. We followed her. And the moment I heard the voices and saw who were the fallen souls my head had instantly turned into a vintage video cassette rewinding to what happened a few months back. I _completely_ regretted to have moved my muscles there.

“ _AAARGH!!!_ THAT _MORPEKO_ OR _WHATEVER_ THAT POKÉMON IS NAMED AFTER!!”

“ _That was a powerful move… Ouch…!!... Meowth? Ask Rotom what that was..._ ”

“You heard it! Spit it out what was that weird move!”

“ _…Do I speak Kalosian or what? I told you I don’t feel like explaining anything today._ ”

“ _TRY EXPLAINING THAT TO MY HAMMER HERE!!_ ”

“ _NO, NO, NO!!!_ JESSIE!!! CALM DOWN!”

“ _YOU HEARD JAMES, PUT THAT HAMMER AWAY!!!_ ”

“ _T-That’s right!!!_ _But-…_ Where did Jessie get that hammer?!”

“Wobbuffet’s making a good question! Jessie, where did you get that hammer?!”

“ _Oh right, Jessie._ Where did you get it?”

The long-haired woman retreated after James has done the question, looking to the object with some awkwardness. “ _Well…_ It was abandoned side to this trash can here. But it seems to be in relatively good condition so I picked it up.”

“ _Indeed... It almost looks like new…_ We should keep it, we never know when it will be necessary for anything.”, observed the purple haired man.

“ _H-Hey!!_ Don’t change the talk!!! Show me that phone, Meowth!”, ordered an agitated Jessie, still offended by the shady Rotom inside the black smartphone.

“ _Humans are so noisy…_ Give me a break, will you?! Return to Wyndon and have a lime tea, good for nervous people like you.”  
  
“ _I’M SMASHING THIS THING TODAY!_ ”

“ _JESSIE, DON’T!!!_ ”, the other three begged while moving their arms frenetically.

“ _Uuuh… Excuse me?_ Do you four need some help?”, Hope asked with some constraint.

“ _NO, HOPE!!_ DON’T TALK TO THEM! LET’S CONTINUE OUR WAY TOWARDS WYNDON CITY! _THERE’S NOTHING TO SEE HERE!!_ ”, I asked Hope while standing at front of her.

“ _Huh?_ ”, wondered my two brothers who were clueless about my reaction.

“Litten? What’s wrong?”, asked Hope as confused as Toxtricity and Thwackey.

“ _Hey!!_ I know you!!”, Meowth said while pointing a claw towards me. “You’re the same crazy Litten from Mount Ember!!”

Everyone exclaimed on his group. My own was surprised as well.

“What is that Meowth talking about, little big sis?”

“I never heard of that place. It isn’t from my land, right?”

“ _Mount Ember?..._ ” Hope wondered. Seconds later, she gasped. The girl has reminded where was it, and not just that. “It isn’t where you were with Ash and Goh when they explored the Sevii Islands?! _So those guys must be…_ ”

The quartet chuckled. And a deja-vu moment followed. They took no time to make that overly dramatic choreography to present themselves to my group. I rolled my eyes away while listening to the very same thing of before and [Wobbuffet’s wireless speaker playing the same tune](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0eaVZKqjkSQ) at high volume, making me smile of how nonsensical this was:

_“Prepare for trouble!_

_And make it double!_

_To protect the world from devastation!_

_To unite all people within our nation!_

_To denounce the evils of truth and love!_

_To extend our reach to the stars above!_

_Jessie!_

_And James!_

_Team Rocket blasts off at the speed of light!_

_Surrender now or prepare for a fight!_

_Meowth! That’s right!_

_Yep, yep, yep!”_

“ _I knew it!_ You’re Team Rocket! Bad guys that steal other people’s Pokémon! _And you’re Ash’s stalkers too!_ _You have got an hyper fixation towards his Pikachu!_ When will you leave them alone?! He’ll electrify you as many times needed!”

“So, you know the twerps!”, noted James.

“And you seem to be Litten’s Trainer.”, added Jessie. “Very impressive, your Pokémon has a special power as well. _Not as impressive than Pikachu’s, though!_ ”

“She has more of them! And they look rare!!”, pointed out James with a smirk.

“ _Our boss wouldn’t mind if we brought him those three!_ ”

“ _Now be a good girl and give us your Pokémon!..._ Or else!!”

“ _Or else what?!_ ”, asked an angry Hope. “I’m _not_ handing over my Pokémon! Pick a Poké Ball and go to the Wild Area to find some for you!”

“I can see now why Litten’s so sassy!”, observed Meowth with a frown, showing off his claws. “ _Very well!_ If you don’t move I will!”

“ _Bad humans, huh?..._ ”, mischievously smiled Toxtricity, letting out cracking sounds from his hands and neck due to muscle stretch outs.

“…They look _weak_.”, commented Thwackey, who prepared a battling stance while spinning out his wooden sticks throughout his fingers like if they were drum baquets. “ _But I won’t let my guard down._ ”

“I’ll give you the “ _weakness”_ , _green primate!_ FURY SW-”

Hope flexed an arm and ordered:

“Thwackey! Use Branch Poke!”

“ _Meet my Leftie!!_ BRANCH POKE!”, exclaimed Thwackey, successfully hitting with the left stick on Meowth’s face. The whiskered foe got projected to the group with such a class, _haha!_

“MEOWTH?!”

“ _T-That was strong!!!!_ ”, he complained while trying to shake off from the facial pain. “I was distracted! AAH!!!”

“ _The boys weren’t joking when they told me about a talking Meowth… A stubborn one._ ”, whispered Hope to herself. As Meowth reattempted the move while shouting, Hope also repeated her command. Thwackey acted immediately, using his right stick. He was hit a second time.

“ _And this is my Rightie!_ Groovy, isn’t it?! They can work both _alone_ or _together_!”

“You could have chosen better names, grassy simian!”

“You could also have chosen a more professional choreography for your introduction! You lacked rhythm!”

“ _How dare you?!_ ”

The humans around us were confused, unaware of the talk that was going on. Thwackey cackled, amused with Meowth’s annoyed reaction. Jessie and James looked to each other and both had the same idea.

“ _Meowth is struggling._ _And we have nothing to capture the Pokémon._ It’s better we call Pelipper!”

“Agreed, Jessie! Two strong Pokémon from our boss will be enough to deal with those three!”

“ _Nobody_ ’s gonna call any Pelipper he-!”, countered Hope in a tone of threat, but interrupted by the incoming Water and Flying-type Pokémon and [Wobbuffet’s music choice on his sound speaker](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDHX_6GNwU8). Her face made it pretty much clear that she had _absolutely no explanation for such a quick appearance_. Fortunately, my Trainer was already informed about the danger of this large-beaked courier. So, she reacted quickly by pointing up and ordering loudly to my big baby brother:

“Toxtricity! Hit that Pelipper with a Boomburst!!”

Toxtricity gave a nasty smirk while [playing a recognisable retro gaming song on his chest protrusion](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LhuP6RaQDzM). Then, he showed off his vocal abilities:

“ _OH YEEEEEEEAH!!! LEEEETS ROOOOCK IIIIT!!! YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO HAHAAHAHAHA!!!_[ _DON’T STOP ME NOW! BECAUSE I’M HAVING SUCH A GOOD TIIIIIME!_](https://youtu.be/HgzGwKwLmgM?t=168) _~_ ”, started Toxtricity to sing in great euphory with a deafening voice that if my ears had a life on their own, they would be crying at that moment begging for mercy! Thwackey had his hands glued on his ears, screaming. Hope was also covering her ears but her confident smile assured us that this is exactly what she wanted. Pelipper was flying in an erratic pattern, extremely confused and desperate to look for a silent spot. Team Rocket yelled all sorts of things I couldn’t even understand because of how stupidly loud my brother was singing. _Talk about some good lungs!_ I had a good laugh with what happened as soon as Toxtricity hushed. Team Rocket was looking everywhere to see where the Water Bird Pokémon was and he was flying away! My brother made a derpy face and did other [play on his chest](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fkgjgBJKzk). _I was wheezing and making an effort to not laugh loudly!_ Team Rocket was desperate, pleading for his return.

But this wasn’t over yet because the Pokémon could come back. _So, what a better way to send these carnival-dressed crooks away?_ Some teamwork.

“Now! Use a good Thunder on those four!!!”

“Do you know what day is today?! IT’S FREE HUGS DAY, _MY DUDES_! THUUUUNDEEEEEERR!!!”

A blinding-blue light was shot out from the open-armed purple and blue Pokémon, landing right on Team Rocket, zapping them with tremendous power. Screams followed. And I had the honours to finish this out!

“Litten! Use your best Flamethrower towards the centre!”

“ _GOODBYE, YOU FOUR!!_ HAVE A NICE TRIP! FLAMETHROWER!!”

Once my fire wrapped up with that electric energy it created an explosion, projecting Team Rocket away from us. “WHAT’S UP WITH GALAR REGION AGAINST US?!?! WE’RE BLASTING OFF AGAIN!!!”, they shouted before disappearing on the horizon, way behind a further plain.

Toxtricity played one [sound](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKS8EBHj9fc) and then [other](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYwBJESz-rw) one. Let me tell you, he has a good sense of humour and Hope agrees! She gave a high five to him, amused by his musical choice. “ _Stage clear, indeed!_ You did great! So did Thwackey and Litten! We’re safe now!”

“Respect for both of your powers!”, complimented Thwackey to us. “I still have a long way to perfect my own!”

“You’ll get there with training.”, I guaranteed with a wink. “Toxtricity got much stronger since he started battling in this journey!”

“Thank you, sister!”

“Let’s check the Town Map again… _Hmmm…_ ”, hummed Hope while looking to her smartphone screen. “Wyndon is six kilometres away from here. We’re close! That gives a bit over an hour of walk.”

“One hour? _Then if you don’t mind…_ ”

I jumped to Hope’s shoulder. “Please carry me.”

“You’re tired already? I thought I was the one that couldn’t walk before!”, chuckled Hope. “Alright, I’ll let you stay there.”

“Looks like Litten needs her beauty sleep!”, mocked Thwackey with a wink to Toxtricity.

“ _Shut up and enjoy the view._ ”, I responded while yawning and closing my eyes. The Grass-type laughed, until Hope took off the cap from his head.

“Enough cap-wearing for today, Thwackey.”, she said with a smile while placing it on reverse on her own head. “I lend it again tomorrow, alright?”

“ _Naaw…_ ”

“Don’t get used to constantly steal her cap.”, I informed the simian.

“I know, _I know…_ ”, he pouted. “I just want to feel cooler!”

“Bro! But you’re already cool the way you are!”

“ _Aaw, thanks Toxtricity!_ You’re really nice for a Poison-type!”

* * *

Almost forty-five minutes later, we were near Wyndon. I could see the giant tower from afar, the spinning diversion machine and a smaller, more ancient building with a clock. _Finally!_ We walked almost the entire day! And the Corviknight Taxi saved us lots of time anyway by transporting us from Hulbury until a remote area around the capital to economize costs and because Hope really wanted to walk on this field. I don’t blame her, _Taxis are just expensive…_ And I understand that Hope is really excited to use her feet again.

“Well, we’re near! I think we all deserve a good dinner in a restaurant of the city as soon as we arrive! What do you say?”

“ _Yeah!!!_ I’m in!!”, Toxtricity exclaimed in excitement, lifting his hand up.

“Me too! I never thought humans had such great food in restaurants!”

“ _I know, right?_ I told myself the very same thing the first time Hope took me to one in Alola. Once you try, you don’t want to go back!”

“This is going to be my third!”

“It must be boring only eating berries on the wild…”

“Oh, right. You’ve never experienced wild life, Toxtricity. _It’s rough._ ”

“Thank Hope for welcoming you to our group, Thwackey! You’re part of our family now!”

“ _You’re all so nice!_ I want to meet Kanto and Alola one day!”

“You will! Once we clear the Gym Leaders challenges, we’ll return home! There are a few people you’re going to love!”

“Like who?”

“I’ll give you some examples! Hope’s parents! They’re sweethearts! Chloe, Hope’s best friend! There’s her dad’s Yamper too, I don’t think he has got any issue with primates. As for Chloe’s dad, Mr. Cerise is a Pokémon Professor! Don’t be surprised if he wants to check you out! Ren and Chrysa are also lovely people inside Cerise Laboratory! And there’s-“

“ _Ash and Goh._ ”

“ _Right!_ Ash Ketchum is a famous Pokémon Trainer on his region! And his Pikachu is almost like a legend for competitive Pokémon as well! Ash is the current Champion of Alola region as well! _An achievement!_ And there’s Goh, a curious researcher that wants to capture all different Pokémon to help out humans to improve their knowledge about us all. He definitely wants to catch Mew though! He’s going to have trouble for that one, I personally never saw one in my life! And Goh’s partner is a Raboot! Pretty much the strong silent type but that’s only a façade. He might look distant but he’s pretty cool with everyone. You just need to respect his personal space and understand his temper, you’ll be ok.”

“Ash and Goh.”

“ _I heard it, Toxtricity._ I just talked about them to Thwackey right now!”

“ _No, no!_ I listen to them.”

“ _W-What?!_ ”

“They’re near and they’re shouting for help!!”

“ _Are you sure?!?!_ ”

“ _I don’t mistake in sounds, sister!_ ”

“Hold on, aren’t those boys the ones you’ve talked about from _Kanto_?! _How can they be in here?!_ ”

“Good question, Thwackey! _I want to know the exact same thing!_ ”

Hope noticed Toxtricity detouring from our path and moving his arms to make our Trainer understand he wanted to be followed.

“What’s going on, Toxtricity?! _The path is this way!_ ”

“Hope! The boys need help!! _Follow me!!_ ”

Thwackey and I raced after him. This encouraged the Alolan girl to do the same. The terrain was somehow hazardous and there was some dust on the air. “ _HEEEELP!_ ”, we heard more clearly. “ _ANYBODY?!?!?!?!_ ”, other voice shouted. “ _ANY POKÉMON AROUND?!?! PLEASE HELP US AND OUR TRAINERS!!!_ ”, a third one yelled.

“ _It’s really them!!!_ ”, I exclaimed in stress. “Where does it comes from?!”

“ _These voices… and a Pikachu’s?!..._ ASH?! GOH?!”

“ _Look, Hope!!!_ Down there!!!!!”

Toxtricity pointed downwards and we panicked. Ash was grabbing everyone with one arm, and the other one tried to not let go off from an extended branch from the wall. And there were no trees under them. Just stones. Some of them sharp looking. “ _HOPE?!_ IS THAT YOU?!?!”, they exclaimed upon realizing who was up here.

“Thwackey! Are you able to use Vine Whip?!”

“ _Uh!- S-Sorry, Hope!_ I have no idea how to use that!”

“ _This is a problem… You don’t seem to be able to use vines, even if you are a Grass-type Pokémon! Sorry!... I must think in something else… Wait!_ GUYS! HANG IN THERE!!”

Hope immediately placed a knee on the floor along with her backpack. She took out several items, still searching for something. Our Trainer is someone who likes to be ready for any unforeseen event. At Alola, she always had her backpack full of different objects. Medicine, Battle Items, Berries, Treasures, and all sorts of stuff. I don’t know how her back was holding so much weight!

“I found it!... _It has got enough elasticity…_ ”

Hope had a rope on her hands. The lass raced towards the centenary tree on our right side that had a well angled branch to make some tight knots with the rope. We raised our eyebrows the moment we saw her tying it on her waist.

“ _Hope?! Don’t tell me you’re going to do what I’m thinking!!!_ ”, I shouted.

“ _That’s dangerous!!_ ”, added a nervous Toxtricity.

“ _Is she gonna jump?!?! Humans aren’t as skilful as us for these things!!_ ”, Thwackey asked with great alarmism.

She looked down with a sweat drop appearing on her forehead and giving a step back. It wasn’t necessary to ask her anything to understand what was happening on her mind. I knew what it was. We fell from an identical height back in that bicycle accident. It was more than normal for the girl to be hesitant. Yet, she didn’t want something as terrible as this, _or worse,_ to happen to her friends especially after _everything_ they’ve done to her. She gave a deep breath and said:

“ _Courage, Hope. Ke koa, Hope!_ _Tapu Bulu, kōkua mai iaʻu!_ ”

And she jumped, from this scary height!!! I was yelling the girl’s name alongside my two brothers. My brother begun to [play a music with his chest protrusion out of stress](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=085LmRpiEyY). _I hated to admit it but it was fitting although this wasn’t the best time for an atmospheric soundtrack, it was making me EVEN MORE NERVOUS!!_

“ _HOPE?!?!?!?_ ”, yelled the boys in distress, seeing her falling down with a single rope. When she was near them, she shouted:

“ _I’M COMING TO YOUR-_ “

The rope reached its limit. “ _REEEESCUUUUUUUUUUUUUUEEEEE AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!_ ”, she tried to finish the sentence with the elasticity of the object projected her upwards, even higher than the tree side to us! We were seeing a dangerous bungee jumping play here and we had no idea what to do!!

Ash, Goh and their Pokémon squealed nervously, following Hope’s trajectory with their heads and eyes in worry; begging all the existing Pokémon deities that the branch that sustained her body weight wouldn’t break apart with all the applied force on the organic element.

Physics and gravity took care of bringing her downwards again. She tried to talk to them once more during the approach:

“ _HOLD ON ME AND I BRING YOU UPWARDS TO SAFETY!_ ”

“PIKACHU! RIOLU! GO FIRST!”

“ _BUT ASH!!_ WHAT ABOUT YOU?!”, questioned a worried Pikachu as Hope was ascending back up.

“WE COULD GO US _THREE_!”, added Riolu.

“ _DO AS I SAY!_ YOUR SAFETY FIRST!! I’LL JOIN YOU AFTER!!”

“ _A-Alright…_ ”, reluctantly accepted his Pokémon.

“JUMP TO MY ARMS!!”, Hope instructed the Mouse and Emanation Pokémon when falling again.

“ _LET’S GO!!_ ”

“AFTER YOU, PIKACHU!!!”

“ _THERE!_ HOLD ON TIGHT!”

Pikachu shielded with our Trainer’s arms. Riolu was holding one of her legs. Once above the tree level, she threw Pikachu towards us. “ _I GOT YOU!_ ”, shouted Thwackey as he successfully caught our Electric-type friend. Riolu jumped by his own after Hope’s leg adjustment. Toxtricity grabbed him. “ _That was close!_ ”, he told to the Fighting-type buddy. “ROUND 2, START! _HERE I GO!!!_ ”, shouted our Trainer. [Toxtricity changed the music play.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tug2iKVGtU)

“Hope’s completely _nuts_!”, our simian brother told us.

“Then you would have had a _heart attack_ if you _knew_ about a few things she _did_ with me in Alola during our Island Challenge! _Hope embodies adrenaline! This is nothing, believe in me!!_ ”

“I wasn’t even born yet but I believe in Litten after she told me how they have met each other! _GO, HOPE!_ RESCUE EVERYONE!!”

“ _WHO’S NEXT?!_ ”

Goh frowned while seeing her going down. “ _RABOOT! SOBBLE! GET READY!_ YOU’RE NEXT! JOIN THE OTHER POKÉMON UP THERE!”

“ _Right!_ Sobble! Make yourself visible for the girl to be able to see you!”

“ _I’m scaaared!!!..._ ”

“ _THERE’S NO TIME FOR THAT!!_ ”

I was wondering if Raboot had gone mad with the dangerous situation they were at because I thought he was talking alone for a moment! That’s when a reptile Pokémon appeared on Goh’s backpack. He was petrified. Once Hope reached their level, Raboot jumped to her arm. Sobble stood behind however. “ _SOBBLE!!!_ ” shouted Raboot. Once up, Hope interjected out of surprise because Raboot refused to leave her arm. “ _I’M NOT GETTING OUT WITHOUT SOBBLE!_ LET’S GET BACK DOWN THERE!”, he yelled. Hope had a good guess of what he tried to mean from his babbling.

“I got it, Raboot! You want to help the other Pokémon! Try to pick him up!!”

And that’s what happened. At the right moment down there, Hope stretched her arm and Raboot did the same to pick up the tiny blue and yellow Pokémon. _When going back up, things became a little shaky…_

“ _THIS IS SCARYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!! GET ME OUT OF HERE!!!!!!!!!!_ ”, cried out loud Sobble with tears leaving his shut tight eyes. _Nobody has warned us that this Pokémon would turn us into WEEPERS!_ FOR THE LOVE OF THE GUARDIAN DEITIES OF ALOLA! _MY EYES!!!!!!!! I COULDN’T STOP CRYING!!!_

All the Pokémon around me were flooding in tears as well. I could hear Toxtricity playing another tune as he sung desperately:

“[ _AAAAAAAAH! OooooooooooOoOooooooh! IIIII DON’T WANT TO DIIIIE!! AAAAAAAAAAH!~_](https://youtu.be/vsl3gBVO2k4?t=112)”

“ _WHY DID I BECAME BLIND?!?! WHAT’S THIS?!?!?!?_ ”, screeched Thwackey.

“ _NOT AGAIIIN!!_ ”, whimpered Pikachu.

“IT BURNS! _IT BUUUURNS!_ _THIS IS WORSE THAN THE ONIONS THAN THE ONES OF HOPE’S GRANDMOTHER’S CROPS!_ ”

“HOPE WON’T SEE ANYTHING IF SOBBLE KEEPS CRYING!!”, sobbed Riolu in a great effort to keep his eyes open.

“ _What the-?!_ ”, interjected Hope confused with what she was starting to feel on her ocular globes, now totally firmly closed with tears running down her face. “ _I CAN’T SEE ANYTHING!!!_ ”

“ _THIS IS BAD!!_ ”, I heard Goh shouting desperately down there.

“ _REALLY BAD!_ ”, shouted Ash as worried as his boyfriend. “ _HANG IN THERE YOU THREE!!_ ”

“ _SOBBLE!_ ”, shouted Raboot still holding the young Pokémon during the fall. “ _YOU NEED TO STOP TO CRY! HOPE IS OUR FRIEND AND SHE WANTS TO HELP US TO NOT BECOME PANCAKES DOWN THERE!!_ ”

Sobble tears were endless. He was petrified in fear. We didn’t know what to do to help those three. But Hope is a box of surprises, so she used her creative intellect to come up with a dangerous solution that let us all shocked. “ _IF YOU CAN’T USE THE SIGHT, USE YOUR TOUCH!!!_ ”, she yelled. Hope grabbed the rope with all her arm strength and angled her feet to feel the wall of dirt. At the first sign of a walkable surface, she immediately started to _run_ towards the sound source of the boys’ location while shouting like if there was no tomorrow. [Toxtricity once again decided it was opportune to play a song at a moment like this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gczroi63RY) because of the way that Hope moved her legs in middle air. _If I wasn’t so worried for Hope I would have given a good Double Kick on Toxtricity’s behind at that instant._ Thwackey’s jaw was completely open. “ _LOOK OUT!_ ”, Ash and Goh kept yelling in panic thinking she would crash on them. When near, Hope jumped off the wall and took advantage of centrifugate force, a fancy name for a physics phenomenon, to be brought back upwards like a pendulum and being surer of where to throw both Raboot and Sobble in safety to our group since she could hear our screaming and my big baby brother’s music. At least the Water-type Pokémon stopped to cry shortly after. But he became invisible. _What a shy Pokémon!_

Hope could now open her eyes when she begun to fall again. “ _GET READY, ONE OF YOU!!_ ”, she shouted to Ash and Goh while checking if her backwards cap was still well tight. “GRAB MY ARM TO BE BROUGHT UP!!!”

“ _OK!_ YOU GO FIRST, GOH! I’LL GO NEXT!”

“ _NO, ASH!_ GO YOU FIRST! I’LL BE FINE!!”

“ _I CAN’T LET YOU IN A SITUATION LIKE THIS FOR LONGER!_ YOU’RE MY _SHIELD_! _I’M AN INCOMPLETE WARRIOR IF I LOSE IT!_ ”

Goh gasped, while Ash pushed his astonished lover at the last moment to be instantly grabbed by Hope’s right arm. “ _LET’S GOOOOOOOOOOO UPWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARDS!!!_ ”, our Trainer shouted. Goh squealed in panic. Back to our safe floor, Hope threw Goh nearby us. Poor fellow, he was shaking so much!! “ _ASH!! GET READY!!_ ”, Hope warned the cap-wearing lad who was still holding himself down there. _I’m still trying to understand how did he held so many weight for so long, he can’t be a normal human child!_ The girl was racing towards him once back to the height where the boy was stuck. Both children extended their arms but she used her left limb this time. Closer!!... _Closer!!!!!..._ And Ash jumped at the right moment to grab her arm. Hope let out a loud grunt, showing all her teeth. “ _A HUNDRED SWEET MALASADAS, ASH!!_ YOU’RE AS HEAVY AS A BEWEAAAAAAAAR!!!”

“THEY NEED HELP!!”, alerted Goh to all of us as the two were ascending for the last time. The charcoal-haired youngster observed very quickly the tree branch where the rope was knotted and then he looked to both Raboot and I in frown. “LITTEN! USE FLAMETHROWER ON THE ROPE, NEAR THE KNOT! RABOOT! AS SOON AS ASH AND HOPE ARE ANGLED TOWARDS USE EMBER ON THE DAMAGED SPOT OF THE ROPE TO CUT IT!” .

“ _Got it!!_ FLAMETHROWER!!”, I said while spitting a good fire towards the target. It left it in a fragile state. “ _NOW!_ RABOOT!!”

The Rabbit Pokémon didn’t blink to my sign. He took out a stone from the ground, dribbled it to heat up and an Ember was well aimed to the rope, cutting it. “ _ALRIGHT!!_ ”, Goh praised. _Buuuut, the celebration was a little short._ The Kantonian and Alolan human friends were projected a few meters away from us, falling round onto the soil and lifting dust. _Ouch!!! That landing was really rough, but there wasn’t a better solution!_

“ _I’m going to feel this more intensely tomorrow…_ ”, complained a coughing Ash as he got up, adjusted his cap and cleared the dust from his clothes.

“ _Ash!! Hope!!_ Are you alright?!”, asked a worried Goh that took no time to join his boyfriend and his saviour.

“I’m fine! Just relieved! Hope you saved us!! Thank you so much!”

Hope let out a characteristic humming of dizziness, still on the floor with her belly turned downwards. “ _My head’s only going around and around like a dancing Comfey… I’m glad I didn’t eat yet…_ ”, she mumbled. The boys looked to each other and let out a chuckle while helping her to get up, one holding an arm each. “ _You’re welcome…_ ”, she finally replied, shaking her head and then also cleaning the dust off. “ _Tapu Bulu must be really watching over you two._ What if I didn’t appear?! Talk about coincidence for being around here! How did you both end up down there?!”

“ _Ah, that…!_ ”, they said in a choir of awkwardness.

“We were resting at Wyndon’s Pokémon Center after Ash finished his training with his Pokémon when I saw a Corvisquire!”, Goh begun to explain. “I started to chase it to catch as I don’t have one on my Pokédex and Ash went after me. I lost the count of how many Poké Balls I threw! Ash wanted to help me to capture it so he and Pikachu went further to the point of attacking it with a Thunderbolt.”

“We could have managed if I was paying more attention to my feet.”, continued Ash. “I didn’t see that the ground edge was in bad condition and it collapsed with our weight. Riolu tried to grab me but it was difficult, I was slipping off and he was being dragged to the cliff as well.”

“I gave up in Corvisquire as soon as I saw them about to fall. Raboot and I also tried to help Riolu but we all slipped and got stuck in there. You appeared a minute later, Hope!”

“Chloe wasn’t joking when she told me you guys _only_ get yourselves into _trouble_!”, Hope commented with a small laugh. “And me thinking it was _only_ at that time that you were looking for Toxel!”

The red-haired girl walked back to her backpack to save the items again. She then looked to the burnt rope and noted with a smile:

“I think I now know why the manufacturer calls this an Escape Rope.”

“Hope! If I didn’t know you and I was told that last month you couldn’t walk a meter I wouldn’t believe in it! _It’s incredible! What you did down there was crazy!!_ ”, complimented Goh with admiration.

“ _And amazing!!_ You were running so fast and with so much strength!!”, additionally said Ash with the same state of mind.

“Well, thank you, guys!”, Hope humbly thanked them while wearing the backpack again. “You can’t imagine how free I felt the moment the doctor has told me almost two weeks ago that I no longer needed anything to hold myself with. I felt… like!... Like if I had reborn!!”

“You definitely look different!”, noted Ash with great curiosity by looking to her monochromatic cap and t-shirt with green bars, her ripped pants, the black coat tied on her waist and the light brown boots.

“What you see is the true Hope! No longer the calm girl you have met earlier.”, she winked with a wide smile. I did tell you all to not get fooled by my Trainer’s feminine look! What happened in that cliff is a mere sample of that rebel side of hers, in which Toxtricity already loves it and it’s still a novelty to our green ape brother who, believe it or not, was still staring to our Trainer with his mouth completely open. _It must be as dry as a Sandile’s skin at this point, haha!_ And I thought it was taking time for you to notice Hope’s most recent Pokémon, Goh! The boy is predictable. “What’s that Pokémon there? Did you catch it?”, he asked while taking off his Rotom Phone.

“I did!”, Hope replied. “It’s a Thwackey!”

“Thwackey, huh? Rotom? Please show me data about Thwackey.”

And the device recited a text:

“Thwackey! The Beat Pokémon! Grass-Type and the evolved form of Grookey! When it's drumming out rapid beats in battle, it gets so caught up in the rhythm that it won't even notice that it's already knocked out its opponent.”

“ _I can confirm this is true, haha!_ ”, I commented to my Pokémon friends with a wink.

“ _Aww, Litten!_ Don’t tease me! Once you enter into the groove you can’t stop!”

“Nice to meet you, Thwackey! I’m Pikachu! Ash is my friend and he loves Pokémon and battling!”

“I’m Riolu! I’m also with Ash and Pikachu! He’s a great Pokémon Trainer, his trainings are intense!”

“Hey there, Pikachu and Riolu! You seem cool, all of ‘ya! _And you are?..._ ”

“I’m Raboot. I travel with Goh. Don’t be surprised if he starts to take pictures of you and doing a lot of questions. He’s like that with _every_ Pokémon. _He only thinks about capturing Pokémon and Pokémon themselves when he’s not cuddling Ash..._ And give time to Sobble. I’m telling this to Toxtricity and Litten as well. He’s with us since a few hours only. He’s shy.”

“It’s ok, Raboot! That’s no i- _Wait…_ _Cuddling_?... _What do you mean with that?_ Are they siblings? Because they don’t look similar at all...”

Toxtricity and I smirked after seeing the naïve confusion from Thwackey’s face. Pikachu and Riolu gave a humble smile to the friendly primate, while Raboot was completely neutral. “I’ll explain you, dude. _Just listen!_ ”

And that’s when the attentions from all Pokémon and our human friends included have turned to the silly purple and blue Pokémon who [begun to play a very specific song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYGAg-qF9gQ).

“That’s a good choice, Toxtricity!”, I complimented. Sobble decided to become visible again, interestingly enough. I believed the sound was smooth enough to make him a little more comfortable with our presence. “Come on, Thwackey! You remember listening this song a few days ago in Hope’s tablet when camping. Hope has said its title out loud.”

I started to cackle when our friend’s eye pupils shrunk, slowly looking to the boys. Hope recognised the music and understood what was going on in our side. The couple wasn’t understanding what Toxtricity was playing. _What a pity!_ But our Trainer walked to the side of Thwackey, bent herself closer to him and explained with an honest smile:

“Do you remember me talking about Ash and Goh? These are my friends from Kanto who research Pokémon together at the laboratory of Chloe’s father! They’re the ones that helped me to walk again! _And they’re dating!_ ”

“ _Oh…_ ”, hummed Thwackey while scratching his head. The boys showed a faint blushing on their cheeks upon listening to the last sentence. The simian smiled and commented to us Pokémon: “That’s pretty cool! Humans are surely fun, aren’t they?!”

“Trust me, you’ll _love_ these two around. _I never get bored!_ ”

I turned towards Sobble, who yelped with our visual contact.

“Sobble, isn’t it? I never saw such a shy Pokémon like you before! It’s ok, I won’t bite! Can’t you see my opulent fang? I can’t bite properly since that giant flood from the island where I came from. We can be good friends!”

“We’re all friends, Sobble!”, Toxtricity assured, now beginning to play a famous Galarian song on his chest protrusion: [_“Frieeends will be friiiiiiiiends!~”_](https://youtu.be/0AIlz08fZos?t=41) _._ I gave a Double Kick to Toxtricity’s behind, who instantly stopped to sing and play. I hissed: “ _You’re going to scare him if you play and sing so loudly!!_ ”

“ _Ooooow!! But sis!!! Music unites everyone!!_ ”

“Sobble is different! _He’s like, like glass! You need to be cautious!!_ ”

“ _Like Grass?_ _But Sobble’s a Water-type, no?_ ”

“ _Glass, Toxtricity! Not grass! Open your internal ears!!!_ ”

I took time to notice that Sobble was hiding behind Raboot, who was sighing. Thwackey just shrugged in constraint.

“I think Litten and the others must be hungry… _Especially Litten who can get a little moody when she’s hungry._ ”, awkwardly speculated Hope to the lovebirds who were understanding our talk as much as Hope. “Are you guys in a hurry?”

“Well, not really! Ash and I were discussing after his training where would we dine today.”

“Why don’t we go together to this restaurant here?”, Hope asked while showing the phone with the Town Map. “There are good reviews and it isn’t expensive. We’ve walked the entire afternoon and I’m starting to get hungry! What do you say?”

“ _That food on the photos looks delicious!_ What are we waiting for?!”, Ash shouted in excitement with his clenched hands.

“Why not? I could try something from there as well! Ask your phone for directions!”

“Sure, Goh! I was about to do that. I’ll activate the audio guide. It will tell us where to walk!”

The phone begun to dictate with an automatic voice what was the first direction to take. Hope and Goh nodded.

“Let’s go that w- _huh? Where’s Ash?_ ”

Hope lifted her eyebrows, noticing that Ash was already distant with Pikachu and Riolu following him. “ _YOU GUYS ARE SLOW!_ ”, he shouted.

“ _HE-HEY!!_ HOLD ON! THE RESTAURANT WON’T RUN AWAY FROM WYNDON, ASH!!”, reacted Goh in surprise while chasing him. Raboot rolled his eyes and commented to Thwackey before following his Trainer:

“ _When Ash isn’t cuddling Goh, he only thinks in Pokémon Battles and the next meal._ ”

The Grass-type snorted. “I’m starting to like those two already!”

“I told you!”, I reacted.

Hope also vocalized a laugh a few seconds after seeing Goh desperately trying to catch Ash up. “I’m so glad I detoured my way to Wyndon!”

* * *

The sun was almost fully set once we‘ve found the establishment. _Finally!_ We could sit down nearby our Trainers in a reserved zone for Pokémon while Hope, Ash and Goh had chairs and a table at their disposal on one of the corners of the restaurant. Hope finds these spots to be the best. The diner was very cosy looking with all those Autumn colours. The music was pretty chill too, at least the owners have good musical taste with those Jazz and Soul tracks that were passing on the retro jukebox. I observed the kids as they waited for their orders to be served. They were really delighted for the unexpected meeting. I was glad! The girl was a little nervous after breakfast and finding her Kantonian friends made her hide that feeling under the carpet. I heard the boyfriends explaining what they were doing in Galar region for the latest two days.

“Wow, you guys saw Leon and Raihan battling!”, Hope exclaimed as she leaned forward over the table surface. “I heard the narration of the match over the radio while we were on the Corviknight Taxi towards the outskirts of the city!”

“It was so awesome!! I really want to battle Leon one day and defeat him! It will be one step closer to become a Pokémon Master!”

“ _Oh, right!_ You’re participating in the World Coronation Series! What rank are you right now?”

Ash pridefully removed his Rotom Phone from his pocket, showed her the displayed information in its official app and said:

“Nine hundred and twenty-one!”

“That’s impressive, you’re in the Great Class! Just what I would expect from the Champion of Alola!”, she grinned. “You need to show that power of yours and of your Pokémon! You’ll reach the Ultra Class in an eyeblink!”

“You bet I will!!”, Ash said it confidently, making Goh a little constrained.

“ _Now, now, don’t be so smug!_ ”, Goh called him out by placing his arm down. “Just remember that the more you progress, the tougher are going to be your opponents. You need to have a clear mind, or else you might be caught off guard in any future battle.”

“I’ll be fine, don’t worry!”

Hope giggled, crossing her arms while leaning back to the chair. “I’ve said this a countless number of times but I repeat myself as much as needed: _You two are so cute together!_ I expect to see great things from both of you in the future!”

 _Hahaha_ , the boys blushed and calmed down! It always happens this way! It makes them even more adorable. Goh tried to change the subject so he asked her a few questions:

“ _So, tell us Hope!_ How has been your journey in Galar? How’s your cousin?”

“ _Ah!_ It has been lots of fun! Galar is so different from Alola and Kanto! And Christophe is fine! He gave me a Dynamax-sized hug when he saw me at the airport! He even cried a bit because I was standing up! And he was really happy to see my Toxtricity, saying he was really bring well taken care of. I showed him all things that he could do and he was amused, especially with the Morse code trick I’ve taught him!”

“ _No wonder!_ Remember how Professor Cerise and I were so excited about it? That’s such a complex language and yet Toxtricity took no time to learn!”

“I do!”, Hope replied Goh with a laughter. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen Chloe’s father that excited!”

The diner employee appeared with the meals for the children and us Pokémon and each of us has thanked on their own way. Once he left, we begun to eat. _Well, Ash was the very first one to dive on the food._ Goh was extremely embarrassed by how quick he was eating, he had to remove Ash’s cap because the shoulder shaking method wasn’t working!

“Give my cap back!”  
  
“ _It’s not nice to eat with your mouth full, Ash!!_ There are people around! _More respect to Hope as well!_ ”

“ _Oh, boys! Calm down, hahaha!_ It’s ok, really! I’m not from royalty either, you know? Just a chill Alolan girl!”, assured Hope, having way too much fun watching that small argue on table. She observed her meal and picked up her phone from the orange sleeve hung up on her pants by a carabiner. “ _I’m going to photograph this just to tease Chloe. In a while I sho-_ “

That smirk had just amplified once her phone begun to ring before my Trainer had sent the photograph to her friend. “Now talk about a perfect timing, Chloe!”

Hope tapped the screen to pick up the call. I correct, a videocall. The red-haired lass showed all her white teeth and angled her device to catch the whole face. “ _Aloooooolaaaaaaaaaaaa, Chloe!!_ Good evening!!”

“Hello there, my morning has just started!”, Chloe responded. Ash and Goh lifted their heads, recognizing the voice. “I see you’re in good mood today! Are you dining?”

“I was about to send you a photo but I‘ll do better: showing!! Here! I’m swapping the camera mode!”

“ _Oh wow_ , that looks interesting! Is it in Motostoke the place where you’re at?”

“No! This is a restaurant from Wyndon!”

“ _Wyndon?!_ Why are you at Wyndon?! You told me in yesterday’s call you were going to Motostoke next!!”

Hope, embarrassed, let out a laughter. She scratched her nape. Ash lifted himself from the chair and went towards the screen. “ _Hi, Chloe!!_ ”, he greeted effusively. “What?!”, Chloe interjected in surprise. “ _Ash?!?!_ ”, she added. The voice tone was pretty funny I confess! Goh shook his head in denial and disbelief for Ash acting sort of intrusive on the videocall. He ended joining him by appearing on the field of view of the phone’s camera. “Good evening!”, he said.

“ _Goh?!?!_ I can’t believe you have found Hope in Galar!”

“ _I know, right?!_ Life’s full of good surprises, Chloe!”

“I knew that the boys were at Wyndon because dad told my family at dinner a few days ago that he bought tickets for a Pokémon Battle match. But I never thought you would see them considering how far you were from the capital!”

“You could have told me that the boys would be around here, anyway!”

“You still didn’t reply to my question, Hope!”

“I learnt this morning that a Vinyl Record Fair would be hosted tonight at the plaza of the Rookidee Evolutionary Chain Fountain. _I had to come!!_ ”

“ _Seriously, girl?!_ You travelled this far to shop _old discs_?!”

“ _I did!..._ ”, Hope giggled nervously.

“ _Geez! You and your passion for music._ ”, Chloe sighed, not surprised anymore after our Trainer. “I’m getting ready for the day you’ll tell me that your husband is a gramophone.”

“ _Don’t exaggerate, Chloe!_ These are _vintage_! There are _hidden gems_ waiting for me at the fair: _Long-Plays, Singles, Original Prints, editions never launched in compact discs!!_ ”

Chloe is one of the rarest people that manages to make Hope’s face turn as red as her hair, _ehe!_ They’re great friends. The pigtailed girl, satisfied to embarrass friend, she changed the subject:

“Anyway, since you’ve decided to go there you can at least dine together with Goh and Ash. Make sure they aren’t involved into problematic situations over there!”

“ _To tell you the truth, if it wasn’t for Hope appearing things could have turned really ugly!_ ”, Ash confessed in awkwardness. “We owe her rescuing!”

“ _What?_ ”

“Ash is right! Hope saved us from a tall cliff! We were really lucky!”

“You should have seen how Hope rescued us, running on her own with a rope tied on her body!”

“ _A-Ash!! Don’t tell that to Ch-_ “

“ _HOPE?! DID ASH JUST TELL ME YOU’VE JUMPED OFF A CLIFF ON A ROPE?!?! LIKE IF THE BOYS WEREN’T ENOUGH TO MAKE ME NERVOUS! NOW THERE’S A THIRD ONE TO BE WORRIED ABOUT!!_ ”

“ _OOH! I CAN’T HEAR YOU, CHLOE! KRRRZ! KRRRR! BZZZZ! THE SIGNAL IS WEAK, GALARIAN INTERNET IS LIKE THIS SOMETIMES! POOR WI-FI COVERAGE! WE’LL TALK TOMORROW! GOOD NIGHT!!_ ”

Hope finished the call, giving a huge relief sigh. _I was smiling so much!_ “ _Don’t tell Chloe these things…_ ”, she pleaded in constraint. Ash and Goh couldn’t help but laugh as well with the whole situation. The couple returned to their seats and the three begun to eat their meals. In between bites, they have retaken the conversation of earlier.

“No need to ask you why you’re here, now.”, Goh pointed with a smile.

“You heard it. I’m going to the fair next. Would you like to come with me?”

“Sure! We have nothing to do tonight!”, Ash said. “ _But Hope?_ What was Chloe meaning about Motostoke?”

“ _That… Well… That’s where the third Gym Leader resides._ ”

Ash’s eyes glowed in excitement.

“ _Third Gym Leader?!_ That means you’ve collected two Badges already! _Please show me them! I want to see how they look like!_ ”

“ _Oh!_ Of course!!”

Hope opened one of her pockets of her pants and removed a golden and magnetic circular frame with two pieces gathered like if they assembled a puzzle. Ash let out a sound of wowing.

“ _It looks so different!_ They look like jigsaw pieces!”

“Exactly! Galar has this unique way to hold the collected badges and the magnetic frame doesn’t require a box to store them.”, Hope explained to the boys. “Once I have them all, it will look like a giant badge or a coin. And the last one can be only given by Raihan himself.”

“ _Raihan?!_ _So you’ll face his Duraludon!!_ ”, observed Goh with some admiration. “You need to be really prepared, he’s very strong!”

“That’s correct. _But to be honest, I’m more nervous about facing Motostoke’s Gym Leader than Raihan himself…_ ”

Ash and Goh hummed in wonder, seeing Hope’s voice tone losing some energy. “ _Why’s that?_ ”, asked Ash. Hope humbly smiled, looking briefly to me.

“The Gym Leader of Motostoke is named Kabu. Galarian people call him “ _The ever-burning man of fire”_. He’s one of the oldest Gym Leaders and he specializes in Fire-type Pokémon…”

“Oh, I get it. Are you worried because of what he might tell about your Litten?”, Goh asked. Hope nodded a little timidly. She regained the visual contact with them.

“ _I know that raising a Pokémon without fully evolving it can be a little controversial for some people… Not saying that is Kabu’s case but…_ ”

“You’ll both be fine, Hope!”

Hope looked to Ash with some surprise on his confident look. He nodded upon having her attention and told:

“Don’t let that type of thought take over of your confidence! Your Litten’s a very impressive Pokémon! Pikachu and I have challenged dozens of Gym Leaders before, including Lt. Surge at Vermilion City’s Gym. Do you know what’s his speciality?”

“I didn’t inform myself about the Gyms of Kanto yet. What type are his Pokémon?”

“Electric-types.”

The Alolan girl lifted her eyebrows, listening cautiously Ash’s explanation.

“The day I’ve challenged him, he criticized me for not having evolved Pikachu. But I didn’t care about what he was thinking. I believed in my buddy’s potential. And we won the Thunder Badge by defeating his Raichu. Lt. Surge complimented our teamwork in the end! Unevolved Pokémon have an advantage of learning moves more quickly than the evolved ones! As you know, I’ve trained a Litten when I was in Alola. I can give you one tip. Litten is much more agile and quicker than an Incineroar. You could take advantage of that when facing Kabu’s Pokémon.”

“Thank you for the tip, Ash. But I’m not sure if Kabu has got an Incineroar.”

“I can’t find information on my phone but this is what I’ve found.”, said Goh to the two of them while showing his device.

“Centiskorch?”, Ash asked.

“Seems to be his signature Pokémon. I‘ve never seen it before.”

“Me neither.”, admitted Hope. “Can you ask Rotom for data?”

“Rotom? Please show me data about Centiskorch.”

A text was read out loud:

_“Centiskorch! The Radiator Pokémon! Fire and Bug type! When it heats up, its body temperature reaches about 815 degrees Celsius. It lashes its body like a whip and launches itself at enemies.”_

“It looks dangerous.”, Goh commented.

“When are you planning to battle Kabu?”

“Tomorrow at the end of the afternoon. That’s when I managed to schedule a combat.”

“Goh? What do you think in staying a little more in Galar to watch Hope battling Kabu?”

Goh looked a few seconds to his boyfriend’s eyes and his contagious smile. He retrieved the same facial expression.

“I can book the return flight to the day after Hope’s battle. I agree with the idea!”

“ _Yeah!!_ Great!!!”

“ _Oh wow, guys!_ Is it really ok for you?”

“We don’t have tasks for now so we can spend a bit of time with you!”, Goh optimistically assured.

Hope smiled, very excited about this. She then frowned in determination, punched the palm of her other hand and told them:

“This gives me extra responsibility to win the Fire Badge tomorrow! I’ve got to train a lot in the Wild Area nearby Motostoke!”

“ _Hey!_ Hope! There’s a promise we need to accomplish!”, said Ash after remembering about something.

“ _Oh!!_ Is it what am I thinking?!”, exclaimed Goh, looking to both Ash and Hope’s eyes mirroring an intense feeling of determination.

“ _Ash Ketchum._ Champion of Alola! While I was at the hospital, I was your fan. I never expected I would meet you in person and becoming your friend. Thanks to your efforts, alongside with Goh, Chloe and all the involved Pokémon, I could walk again and continue to dream! _So please, Ash!_ _Tomorrow morning_ , after breakfast, I would like you to _battle me_ as part of my training for the evening’s Gym Challenge. _Do you accept?!_ ”

“The answer’s yes! I was waiting for the day you would ask me for a _Pokémon Battle_!”

“ _Hooray!!!_ ”, Hope celebrated with a fork lifted on the air! “ _Now I’m fired up for tomorrow!!_ Quick! Let’s finish dinner! I want to check the fair afterwards and catch the train to Motostoke!”

A competition of who eats the quickest followed up, _haha!_ _Poor Goh. He had no choice other than eating in his own pace, observing Ash and Hope eating like a Lickitung!_ The sigh was really cute!

We were almost finishing our meals too. Ash’s Dragonite and Gengar were outside the Poké Balls as well. They had the opportunity to meet Thwackey and vice-versa and there was an immediate friendship there. The simian loved how the dragon was so fond about hugging and how Gengar was extremely playful. He mimicked Thwackey’s beatboxing sounds as soon as he learnt about this talent of the Grass-type Pokémon. Goh’s Farfetch’d was around as well! I wasn’t expecting to find him here! We had the opportunity to have a few talks at Cerise Park, during Hope’s physiotherapy. He was a good help for her recovery too by pretending to have lost his leek and encouraging the girl to get up from the wheelchair to pick it up and hand it over to the Pokémon. As far as I know Farfetch’d are very protective of their object so I was surprised of this Pokémon’s will to help her! He’s very calm and good-intentioned. Now there was someone new to the group. It was other Farfetch’d but a Galarian one! I had only seen one in pictures from Hope’s tablet but never in real life! This was a good opportunity to know him better.

“ _Alola!_ Hey, there! Your face is new around here!”, I said.

“ _Oh, right!_ Farfetch’d! We didn’t introduce you to five other friends of ours!”, Pikachu pointed out, finishing a berry. “Dragonite and Gengar are with Ash as well! They’re friendly! And they are Litten, Toxtricity and Thwackey! They’re Hope’s Pokémon, a good friend of Ash and Goh!”

“ _Hi._ _Consider all of you greeted._ ”, Ash’s Farfetch’d told us in a rather dry way. _This was reminding me of a certain rodent…_

“Enchanted, _I think…_ ”, I said with an awkward smile.

“Farfetch’d just needs time to open himself to everyone!”, Gengar happily told us. “I’m sure _deep inside_ those feathers there’s _a heart_ asking for some _fun times_!”

“ _My “recess” time is when I’m training. Riolu is enough for me to fulfil that will._ ”

Gengar pouted, downcasting his head towards his plate, finishing with a single lick. “ _You aren’t fun!_ ”

“ _Now, now, relax!_ ”, Dragonite asked Gengar in a way to not worsen the atmosphere. “Better to give him space! We’ve just met him right now and he’s with us since just one day! We’ll be friends!! Welcome to the group!”

“I-Is this your way to _give space_ to Pokémon?!”, Ash’s Farfetch’d anxiously asked as he was being hugged by the bulky arms of the Dragon-type!

“You seem to be a good battler, Farfetch’d!”, Thwackey commented enthusiastically. Dragonite let the Wild Duck Pokémon return to the floor. Farfetch’d thanked him:

“ _Thanks._ I appreciate your recognition.”

“Your wings must be _really strong_ in order to carry such a large leek all time!”

“That leek of yours could be tempting for humans to steal it and make a soup out of it. Has that ever happened to you, Farfetch’d?”, I asked him with great curiosity. He responded:

“ _Twice. The humans that tried had to call an ambulance for both their Pokémon and their own selves._ ”

Toxtricity [whistled](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEgwPanFPWU) out of impression, shaking his hand. Thwackey started to sweat. “ _I see you sort out problems with actions…_ ”, he said with a hint of nervousness. _I had to agree with the green ape brother of ours!_

* * *

With dinner eaten and paid, we took a bus to the Vinyl Records Fair. There were so many temporary counters full of boxes, boxes _and more boxes!_ Plastic, cardboard, digipaks, jewel cases... _Yes!_ Jewel cases! Compact discs were available for sale as well! There were few sellers more dedicated to sell music gadgets like audio players, memory cards, earphones, headphones, earpods, Dragonfang Speakers, Hi-Fis, vinyl players… _there was a bit of everything!_ Hope felt like she walked on heaven. She checked throughout many labels and categories to search for hidden gems as she likes to call them! Toxtricity was playing songs almost all time, depending on the tunes he was listening to! The same thing went for Thwackey, who was making a musical duo with our big baby brother by using his wooden sticks and making different percussion sounds. The boyfriends had some trouble to keep up with Hope’s tireless hopping from a counter to other, _haha!_ But at least they were having a good time too! Ash and Pikachu tried to sing a few songs where the refrain was actually easy to memorize. Riolu hummed the songs. Goh and Raboot were more moderated but you could observe that they were enjoying the background music. Sobble kept invisible almost the entire time but he was paying attention to the melodies. Some counters had available samples to listen on dedicated towers with headphones. They heard a few things out of curiosity. Not every sound was good, but Hope always managed to please them with her suggestions. The girl likes a bit of everything as far there’s musicality. We found a tent at a point where there was a virtual reality rhythm game that people could try to beat the high score. The winner would win a _hundred thousand Pokédollar voucher_ to spend in the fair! _And guess what? Hope did it!! Hahaha!_ People around were shocked, even Ash and Goh despite of being well aware that our Trainer is really good in this kind of games! Thanks to this voucher, she actually doubled the purchases she initially wanted to do. The great majority of the records are hits from musical groups and singers from both Unova and Galar. And one of the last counters she visited to make the final purchases was actually from Motostoke! They gave her an address card, inviting her to come for a visit as soon as she had availability. She’s obviously doing that after Kabu’s battle, _I could bet a thousand Poké Beans on this!_

After, everything was seen, we’ve travelled to the train station. It was already night. A train travel to Motostoke would take about three hours. We had a cabin just for the ten of us for a bigger privacy. Hope was checking the covers of the records she had bought and explained a few things to the boys. She planned to ship the items home by mail but Ash and Goh offered themselves to carry these on their return to Kanto and hand over to her parents once possible. That was nice from them! Like this she wouldn’t carry so much weight and unnecessarily spend money. Goh noticed that Hope carried a lot of diverse Pokémon items, recognising a few of them. Others she had to explain what were they for. Hope had also brought her hybrid console with her to get entertained in the dead times. She took the opportunity of her friends’ presence to play a party game. _For their great disappointment, they lost against the CPU! Haha!_ Too bad! If Ash hadn’t fallen into that Surprise space things could have turned _very_ differently! Raboot betted earlier it would be the CPU winning so he won the snacks that each of us Pokémon had gambled. Sobble didn’t want to participate, he only wanted to watch the game. And that’s when we were all surprised to see that the Rabbit Pokémon handed over _all the food_ to the Water Lizard Pokémon, clapping in delight with the gesture. “You’re so kind, Raboot!” he said, making Raboot blush a little but trying to hide that from us by using his ears, _ehe!_ Raboot’s really nice, but _if only_ he opened _a little_ more to us! I would appreciate it.

It was late when we arrived to our destination. Luckily, the Wild Area was near the station. Maybe twenty minutes of walk. Hope convinced Ash and Goh to pass the night on the exterior, with the tents she had. She always carries two of them, one serving as a spare in case of need. The assembly was quick with Toxtricity and Thwackey’s hands. _Advantages of having opposing thumbs!_ I know if I was an Incineroar I could do the same but I’m fine as I am, thank you. And don’t worry, I helped despite of my limitation. I can pull and push objects with my head and mouth. Ash and Goh also took care of their tent, they already had practice from other times in the past, like when they had that issue with the resident Skwovet in Cerise Park.

“ _This day was too long, I’m up for seventeen hours…!_ ”, said Hope with a yawn. “ _If you guys don’t mind, I’m hitting the sack._ ”

“Oh, that’s understandable, Hope!”, Goh told her.

“Go to rest! You need to be at a hundred percent for tomorrow’s battles!”, Ash reminded her with a wide grin and a clenched hand.

“A hundred? _Two hundred, Ash!_ ”, she joked side to her own tent. “The first one to awake tomorrow awakes the other, ok?”

“Alright! Good night, Hope!”, said Goh. Ash repeated the sentence.

“Good night, Goh! Good night, Ash! And for all your Pokémon!”, she said while waving to everyone and entering in the tent.

Toxtricity sat down on the entrance. He yawned. “ _My feet are complaining…_ You know what, I think I’m going to s _-……Zzz…_ ”. _Oh well!_ He fell asleep before finishing the sentence. Thwackey was amused, laughing. He lied down over the grass with stretched limbs and closed his eyes. “ _Really, this Toxtricity!_ Good night everyone, there’s more tomorrow!”, he told to all of us Pokémon.

“Good night, Thwackey.”, we replied back. Ash yawned and stretched his arms. “ _We should rest as well._ Let’s come in, Pikachu? Riolu?”

“Yes, Ash! I want to sleep too. It was fun! Good night, Litten!”

“Can’t wait for tomorrow! Night, Litten!”

“Sleep well, Pikachu!”

“ _I’ll also call this a day._ Raboot? Sobble?”

“Right. Good night, Litten.”

“ _G-Good night…!_ ”

“Have a good rest, Raboot. You too, Sobble!”

The boys also told me good night, noticing I was still outside the tent. I meowed back the same wishes. They went inside with their Pokémon. I decided to stargaze a little. I wasn’t very drowsy yet. The Galarian sky was really pretty. I really wondered about that legend of the Darkest Day that Hope’s cousin had told us about in Turffield, when confronted with Hope’s questions about the plains’ symbols. A starless sky? Titanic Pokémon everywhere, violently destroying everything they stepped on? It sounded scary. Whoever saved the region three thousand years ago, he must have been a really brave person. _I wonder where are his descendants now, if the family kept growing until today…_

I kept observing my surroundings for a few minutes. There was a nearby tree that was climbable so I gained some height to see better the horizon. It was infinite and extremely really quiet. There’s definitely plenty of space for tomorrow’s trainings! I understand that Hope is concerned about my performance against such an experienced Fire-type Trainer but I’m not. We have faced countless challenges back in Alola, especially against Nanu who’s a very strong Island Kahuna. We needed a rematch to get his stamp. If we managed to pass such a difficult battle, we can beat Kabu as well! Maybe tomorrow when she awakes, she’ll be less nervous. I climbed down the tree and I was about to enter in Hope’s tent. I heard Ash and Goh talking low. I was too curious to just ignore and go to sleep so I went towards the entrance with plenty of caution to not be seen. The Pokémon were already fast asleep and couple didn’t notice my presence. Ash and Goh had their backs turned to each other.

“ _Ash?..._ ”, Goh asked.

“ _Aren’t you drowsy?_ ”

“ _Just a little._ ”, the prominent eyelashes boy humbly replied. “ _Earlier today, when we were on the cliff… You wanted me to be rescued first. Weren’t you scared of falling?_ ”

“ _Scared? Not really. I knew that Hope could save us after managing to do that with the Pokémon and solving the temporary blindness in the way we saw._ ”

“ _You’re incredible, Ash… Is there anything that actually scares you?_ ”

“ _There is._ ”

“ _What is it?_ ”

Ash turned to face Goh’s back and replied: “ _To lose you._ ”

 _Oh my Arceus, my tiny-sized heart couldn’t hold the sweetness of this honest response of the lightning-cheeks lad!_ My pupils must have dilatated but I hadn’t a mirror to confirm that! Goh let out a faint gasp as his cheeks tinted a little of red colour. He turned to look to Ash’s face and the blue-coated boy realized Goh was smiling humbly. He ended blushing and detouring the visual contact, embarrassed for the sweatshirt boyfriend’s silence. “ _I’m telling you the truth._ ”, Ash continued.

“ _”You’re my shield. I’m an incomplete warrior if I lose it.”_ ”, Goh quoted the sentence of that end of the afternoon as he cautiously approached his face and left a sweet kiss on his soulmate’s lips. Goh kept his forehead touching Ash’s, caressing his raven hair with the fingertips. Ash let out a cute sound of startlement. His cheeks blushed a little more intensely, still absorbing the pleasant sensation of that act. “ _It has been a while…_ ”, he happily noted. Goh let out a subtle giggle saying:

“ _I kiss you when you deserve it, you silly!_ ”

Ash giggled. “ _Goh, you’re so cute when you smile and laugh like that! And your cuddling feels so relaxing…_ ”, he said. Those were other sentences that encouraged the blue-eyed boy to spread more kisses on Ash’s face, chuckling with the sensation.

“ _Does it tickle_?”

“ _It gives me chills, actually! They feel so nice…! It is like!... Like…!_ ”

“ _Like?_ ”

“ _Like a Play Rough!_ ”

“ _Play Rough?..._ ”

 _I swear for the Guardian Deities of Alola that I did a Coalossal-sized effort to not burst into laughter with the analogy used by Ash, HA!!_ From all things he could have said, he did a really strange choice! But thankfully, Goh knows what Play Rough is and that _only this energic kid_ to use Pokémon Moves to express his feelings. But that’s a cute Fairy-type move! This term felt odd for Goh but it made him laugh. “ _What?!_ ”, Ash asked, slightly bothered by his boyfriend’s reaction. He planted other kiss on his mouth as a response, disarming the Pokémon Trainer. All that cuddling and kissing that Goh was investing on Ash, made the Pallet Town boy gradually close his eyes. “ _Hey._ ”, Goh whispered in an attempt to make Ash reopen them. Once he did it, Goh told him: “ _Win tomorrow’s Pokémon Battle._ ”. Ash smiled and affirmed: “ _I will._ ”.

Ash closed his eyes once again. Goh did the same as he was patting Ash’s hair. “ _Your scent makes me even more sleepy, Goh…_ ”, he confessed, making his charcoal-hair coloured boyfriend smile silently.

“ _That’s what I want you to do. To sleep._ ”

“ _I’ll do that. But not before one thing._ ”

Goh hummed in curiosity.

“ _A good night and good luck kiss._ ”

The Vermilion Citizen kissed his lips again.

“ _That’s not a good night and good luck kiss…_ ”, Ash pointed, smiling.

“ _Ah… I see._ ”, Goh grinned back upon a certain thought had occurred on his head. “ _Is it what I’m thinking?_ ”

“ _Maybe. So, I’ll do it myself to make sure you understand what I mean._ ”

“ _Alright. Show me._ ”, Goh accepted, happily closing his eyes after seeing his lover doing the same in the end of the sentence.

And that’s when their lips sweetly locked and carefully embraced each other with their arms. _I was melting like a Casteliacone in Desert Resort, seeing those two Pokémon-obsessed lovebirds devoted on a slow deep kiss in a pure action of love!_ It was better to leave them alone before they noticed my presence. I didn’t want to interrupt them. At least they’ll sleep well and fast today, after what I’ve witnessed! I went towards Hope’s tent and curled my body over her hip. I closed my eyes and let myself relax. Hope felt my presence, picked me with an arm and cuddled with me. _Aaaah, I was missing her warm hugs!~_

* * *

“ _Litten?... Litten?_ ”

It was my Trainer’s voice. “Good morning!”, she said after I opened my eyes. I stretched my muscles and yawned.

“ _Here._ Have this!”

Hope was handing me over a cup with Pecha Berries. What a nice breakfast! But looking to the tent’s exit, the sun was only peeking beyond the horizon. It was super early! Toxtricity and Thwackey were still snoring over the grass in the weirdest positions you could imagine.

“Sorry for awakening you at this hour, Litten. But we’re going to make a special training before everyone’s up.”

“A training?”, I asked her. “Did you get any strategic idea for today’s Gym Challenge?”

The girl let out a faint giggle while searching for something in her backpack. She took out her tablet, turning it on. Then, she plugged a cable converter and the multi-function media player peripheral. In the end she showed me a sleeved disc. The label said something, but I couldn’t really tell.

“Remember when I taught you Flamethrower, Litten? This is a Technical Machine.”

Whoa! She was right! Now I remembered! We did something similar last year, when I was rescued by Hope! I watched a video from a Technical Machine she had bought in purpose to help me overcome my jaw issue. This meant that I was going to learn a new move at this day! I didn’t notice she had bought a disc like that in that fair at Wyndon! I think I remembered to see a counter that was selling these alongside with other gadgets. It must have been there. Hope frowned in determination once she realised, I understood what she wanted to do. I did the same. _Now then, what was the move that Technical Machine taught?_ I figured that out after finishing to eat, and I got really excited. _Hope’s so smart!_ She wanted to ensure we got out of Motostoke Stadium with a third badge in our possession. We raced to the outside nearby some trees to practice. “ _OK, Litten!_ One more time!”. “ _Yes, again!_ ”. “You’re handling it!”. “ _Higher!_ ”. “Great!”. These were sentences repeated over and over alongside with others for about an hour.

“You did it, Litten!! You learnt the move!”, she celebrated with a jump, laughing with great enthusiasm. “ _High five!!_ ”

I gave a good jump towards her and smacked my paw on her palm. _I love doing this with her!_

She then looked to me, with her index finger pointing up. “Yesterday night during the fair, I was thinking in a strategy to use against Kabu’s Centiskorch. And I got the answer once I saw this Technical Machine. I knew that your evolutionary chain could learn it, including your own species! So, if things go wrong we have this move to keep the odds in our favour! What do you say?”

“I completely agree with you, Hope! We have bigger chances to win now!”, I meowed to her.

Hope looked to the sleeping Pokémon and the boys’ tent. “I’m going to prepare breakfast for everyone. Could you awake Toxtricity and Thwackey?”

“Roger that!”

I did that. And while we helped Hope to set up a table on a large rock, I explained my brothers what happened earlier. They had a really fun reaction with all those laughs and clapping! They were as thrilled as I was! “Are you telling them what we’ve done, Litten?”, Hope asked while serving on the cups. “We did a special training while you were still sleeping!”, she told to her other two Pokémon. “This is a trick under my sleeve in case we’re cornered by Kabu. He’s a strong Trainer. Many have given up from the Gym Challenge because they couldn’t beat him. _But you’re all Pokémon with guts! Fiber! Just like the people from Alola!_ And today, we have special spectators that will watch us battling. We can’t disappoint them, _especially Ash!_ He’s the official champion of the region where Litten and I came from. He and his Pikachu are very strong! That’s also why I want to surprise him because he’s not aware of your capabilities, Thwackey. And he doesn’t know that Litten has just learnt a new move as well. As for you, Toxtricity, I think we can make him _sweat_ at the right moment…”

 _Oh, right!_ I saw what Hope was meaning with that. The girl smirked mischievously along with Toxtricity. Ash knew the Punk Pokémon’s moveset. It didn’t change since our departure to Galar. But there was something he wouldn’t see it coming! _Ehehehe!_

The Alolan girl looked to the further tent. “The breakfast’s ready. We should go awake them. _But not in the conventional way…_ ”

 _Ooooh?_ _That naughty smile of hers, with the hand asking us to come closer into a circle._ We looked to each other with a thirst of curiosity, but she quickly explained us how she wanted to awake the lovebirds. And I let out a burst of laughter along with my brothers! _This was brilliant!! Hope was cackling a lot, but a lot!!_ She went to pick up her ukulele and we stealthily moved to the entrance of Ash and Goh’s tent. They’re purer than the air just renewed by a Shaymin’s fur. Ash was snoring a little with the belly totally up, while Goh had his head resting on Ash’s chest, with an embraced arm over his waist. Pikachu was curled side to one of his Trainer’s arms. Riolu was side to a leg. Raboot rested over the charcoal-hair coloured boy’s back and Sobble was right side to the Rabbit Pokémon. Hope did a signal to us to retreat a few steps and get ready. Thwackey had taken off the wooden sticks on his head and chose a few stones to serve as drums. Toxtricity had his fingers close to his chest protrusion, eagerly waiting to begin to play. I picked other larger rock close to my simian brother to do tapdancing. Hope leaned back with a lifted hand, retracting her fingers one at a time. _Three… Two… One…_ Her quick arm movement downwards was a clear _“Hit it!”_.

We orchestrated with the possible sounds we could make, doing our own cover of [a Galarian music hit from a few years back that we heard on the radio](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbNlMtqrYS0) for the first time on the day that Thwackey, as a Grookey, had joined us. This was what made Hope talk about Ash and Goh because the song lyrics reminded her of them. She sung the lyrics as loud as an Exploud:

_“WHEN I WAKE UP, WELL, I KNOW I'M GONNA BE_  
_I'M GONNA BE THE MAN WHO WAKES UP NEXT TO YOU!_  
_WHEN I GO OUT, YEAH, I KNOW I'M GONNA BE_  
_I'M GONNA BE THE MAN WHO GOES ALONG WITH YOU!”_

_Ash and Goh got up quicker than a Noibat flying off from a cave full of Clefairy!!_ _Hahahaha!_ They even hit with their heads on each other in the process. _They were so confused with the loud music!_ The same thing went for their Pokémon! They peeked out of the tent, trying to understand what the heck was going on for listening to a free concert of ours! Hope continued to sing, now at the refrain:

_“BUT I WOULD WALK FIVE HUNDRED MILES_  
_AND I WOULD WALK FIVE HUNDRED MORE!!_  
_JUST TO BE THE MAN WHO WALKED A THOUSAND MILES_  
_TO FALL DOWN AT YOUR DOOR!”_

“ _SING, EVERYONE!!_ ”, Hope requested us effusively. And us four babbled the “ _dalatda_ ” part. I didn’t know what it was funnier: _To sing this with so much energy and delivery, or to see Ash using his cap and Goh using his sweatshirt collar to cover their whole Tamato Berry coloured faces!_ Pikachu looked us and then to the boys, giving a burst of laughter. He was loving our matinal greeting! Riolu was clapping us for our musical talent. Raboot tried to disguise, but I saw a tiny smile on the corner of that collar while looking to his Trainer. Sobble was so hypnotised by our concert he didn’t pay attention to Goh and Ash’s state of spirit! “ _This is so nice!..._ ”, the Water-type told us with a faint tone. _Cute!!_

“ _Good work, guys!!_ ”, Hope complimented us, giving a high five to everyone. All Pokémon clapped. “ _Rise and shine, boys!_ Good morning to you!”, she now greeted the lovebirds with the sneakiest smile ever.

“ _Hoooope…!_ ”, they complained, still with their hidden faces. _Poor kids!_ _This was being too much for them!_

“You’re welcome! Breakfast is ready! _Come!_ ”

Everyone had their morning meal. For Hope and I it was the second dose. We were happy that everyone liked Hope’s meals. There was some Alolan touch in the plates! Ash pointed this out, pleasing my Trainer. Hope noted it was full of nutrients, very necessary considering that she wanted to battle her Pallet Town friend as soon as they finished to eat. I think she regretted a little to say this because Ash begun eating _extremely_ fast. _Humans can use Extreme Speed on the table, it seems!_

“ _You’re going to have an indigestion if you eat that way, Ash!!_ Calm down!”, scolded Goh.

“ _Battles can’t wait!_ ”, Ash replied, ignoring the warning.

“Well, we have a whole day ahead! The Gym Challenge’s only in the end of the afternoon, as I’ve explained yesterday!”

“Will we go to Motostoke afterwards? What are your plans?”

“I pondered making a tour on the city, Goh. But maybe only two hours before the scheduled time in the stadium. I would like to visit the record shop of the city and we could snack somewhere as well.”

“Sounds good.”

“Consider this battle as a training for tonight! I’ll be glad to help you out with that!”

Ash had just finished to eat and gotten up from the improvised table. “Ready when you are, Hope!”, he said in a confident frown.

“I’m just finishing my meal! We’re battling once my Pokémon also finish to eat!”

“ _Alright!_ ”, exclaimed Ash. He turned to his Pokémon partners, observing them emptying their breakfast cups. “ _Who’s excited for a Pokémon Battle?_ ”

“ _ME!!_ ”, the Pokémon shouted with a wide optimistic feeling. All except Farfetch’d who had just lifted his leek with a faint smile of pride.

“Well, sounds like we’ll see an interesting combat.”, commented Goh’s Farfetch’d to Raboot.

“Ash’s battles are always great to watch. I’m curious to see how Litten and the others are going to handle Pikachu and the remaining team.”

“Raboot? You’re going to support me, aren’t you?”, I bluntly asked him with a wink.

“I’ll support the winner’s side.”

Farfetch’d gave out an awkward giggle while shrugging his wings to me. Sobble just looked to everyone, watching carefully our reactions. _Seriously, Raboot!_ _I thought we were good friends!!!_ This _burned_ and I’m a Fire-type Pokémon!! I had to show him I’m a good battler! And that Hope’s an excellent Pokémon Trainer! He would see that!

Everyone was prepared around thirty minutes later. We had chosen a wide spot to do our Pokémon battle. Ash accepted Hope’s suggestion, to her pleasure. Goh was on the side of the battlefield, by the middle edge, with Raboot, Sobble and Farfetch’d. Toxtricity, Thwackey and I were behind Hope. Gengar, Dragonite, Riolu, Farfetch’d and Pikachu were behind Ash.

“ _I’ve long waited for this moment, Hope!_ ”

“Me too! I said in the day we’ve met each other that I would challenge you for a battle once I would be able to walk again! A promise is a promise!”

“What would you say on a three versus three single battle?”

“I’m in for that! Three Pokémon per Trainer. The last standing Pokémon of a team wins!”

“I can’t wait to see how do you battle. You must be really good for managing all the Z-Crystals with a single Pokémon!”

Hope cracked her hands pridefully. She then said: “ _Us, people from Alola,_ are people _that never give up_ to reach a goal. _We’re warriors. We fight until the end._ It’s a privilege for me to battle against the _first ever_ Champion of my birthland’s Pokémon League. _But Ash!_ Just because you detain that title, don’t go easy on me! Because I’m not scared!”

Ash scratched his nose with the hand, enjoying Hope’s spirit. “ _Now that’s talking!_ I’m not letting down my guard either! This will be a good training as well for the World Coronation Series!”

“ _You know what’s said: when Trainer’s eyes meet up…_ it’s time for a battle!”

Hope begun making a quick _haka_ , clapping her hands, and proclaiming things in her maternal language. Us Pokémon mimicked her. Toxtricity and Thwackey learnt this quickly! In the end, she stood herself with a well stretched back, with legs apart and a brave posture, pointing her hand to her opponent, saying out loud:

“ _Ash Ketchum, from Pallet Town!_ _I, Hope, from Vermilion City, born at Ula’ula Island, I challenge you for a Pokémon Battle! E hōʻike mai i kou mana, e ka poʻokela!”_

Hope did a fingersnap. Toxtricity understood that signal. So, he begun to[ play a fitting background music on his chest protrusion](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JkSeSjwppw4). Ash adjusted his cap to be more centred and observe well the challenger. He grinned with all his white teeth.

“ _We have the right of having music and all, huh?_ Bring it on! Farfetch’d, you’re the first one!”

“ _I’ll make this a quick battle!_ ”, the Wild Duck Pokémon commented as he walked to the frontline of the battlefield, placing his massive vegetable weapon behind his back, waiting for his adversary.

Hope was tapping the foot on the floor and moving a little in the rhythm of the song. “Thwackey! _Let’s groove!_ ”

“ _Oh, yeah!_ Things are gonna get _wackey_!!”, the green ape brother said, standing on his battlefield spot with the two wooden sticks on his hands, spinning around with skill.

“ _Or painful._ ”, Farfetch’d replied, with a smirk.

“I’ve never battled with a Thwackey before, this will be interesting. Make the first move, Hope!”

“How nice from you! Thwackey! Use Work Up!”

The battle begun. Goh was observing with attention the two Pokémon Trainers. I could see on his eyes that as much as he was cheering on Hope, he was hoping for his boyfriend’s victory. Those blue-toned ocular globes mirrored a “ _Good luck, Ash._ ”. The Beat Pokémon started to flick his wooden sticks onto the floor with an impressive speed, like a drum roll. _He inhaled…_ And exhaled on the last note. His arm muscles got a little more defined.

“ _Readying Thwackey for stronger attack moves, I see!_ Farfetch’d! Use Brutal Swing!”

“ _AAAH!!_ ”, shouted Farfetch’d racing towards the Grass-type primate about to slam him with his leak.

“DO A BACKFLIP JUMP AND USE DOUBLE HIT!”, commanded Hope.

“ _Ooooh-la!!!!_ ”, he exclaimed, missing the hit by a scratch! A well-timed jump! Thwackey counter-attacked with a Double Hit with his wooden sticks, taking advantage of Farfetch’d taking time to regain balance from the missed move. One! _Two!_ Both the Trainer and Pokémon shouted. “ _Well done!_ ”, Hope complimented him.

“Farfetch’d! Are you alright?!”, Ash asked his Pokémon who took no time to return to a standing position, nodding with his head. “Your Thwackey is agile!”

“That’s one of his talents!”, Hope affirmed. “He’s quick! So you’ve got to think fast! Thwackey! Use Branch Poke! _Three two one, three two one!_ ”

“Branch Poke comin’ out! _A-ha-YAH! Yah-ha-AH!_ ”

Twhackey successfully performed the move in rhythm to Hope’s order. Farfetch’d was hit on his head. Ash asked his Pokémon to do a Night Slash, but he failed once again. Thwackey was long out of reach when he used his leak like a hammer. Our brother cackled, having too much fun with the short temper of the Wild Duck Pokémon.

“I’m getting irritated of you! _Stop doing Thwackey business!_ ”, the leak-wielding Pokémon groaned, _haha!_ Ash’s usual optimism had faded. He was seeing his Pokémon was having trouble to land a move on his adversary. But he wasn’t giving up.

“Farfetch’d! _Again, a Night Slash!_ ”

“ _AAAAAH!_ _COME HERE, THWACKEY! YAAAH!_ ”

“ _You missed, hahaha!_ ”, provoked the green ape that rolled sideways. ” _Are you digging holes for Drilbur?!_ Keep it up, man!”

“ _He’s too quick!_ ”, vented out Ash with a clenched fist.

“ _Now!_ Repeat! Branch Poke! _One two three! Three two one!!_ ”

 _One, two, three. Three, two, one._ To that beat interval, Thwackey slammed a Branch Poke to Farfetch’d’s head the second time followed. The opponent had even dropped his leek with the impact, stronger than before!

“ _Huh?!_ He took more damage than before! I don’t get it!!”, commented out Ash in great confusion, sweating from his forehead. Hope giggled with confidence. Farfetch’d grumbled while picking up his item again. “Farfetch’d! _Stay focused!_ ”

“ _Again! One, two, three, four! One, two, three, four!_ ”

“Brutal Swing! _Don’t stop!!_ ”

The two Pokémon obeyed to the commands. Farfetch’d moved his leek just like a human trying to do a hammer throw for a golden medal! _He was so mad!!_ Thwackey hopped and rolled from a side to other, always avoiding the leek. He screeched while using Branch Poke for the third time, now to the feet. Farfetch’d rolled infinitely before tripping and falling to the floor, the leek was projected a few meters away. Again, to Hope’s command, the simian repeated the move. It was the finishing hit. The tripping one was already strong but this one was a nail on the coffin. Farfetch’d was incapable to continue to battle, fainted on the dusty ground.

“FARFETCH’D!!”, exclaimed Ash.

“ _Fantastic!_ You did it, Thwackey!! That was groovy!”, celebrated Hope.

“You need to improve your rhythm, Farfetch’d!”, Thwackey commemorated while spinning around with his wooden sticks, making cool tricks.

Hope understood Ash had many questions going on in his head. So, she begun to explain as she slightly danced to Toxtricity’s music:

“While people see Metronomes as musical items, I see _both_ as musical tools and battling items as well!”

Ash gasped upon observing what Thwackey carried on his belt. The Alolan girl continued:

“I discovered that Metronomes can help Pokémon to land more powerful moves if repeated in succession! The more Thwackey uses the same move, the more damage it will inflict to his opponent!”

“ _That explains why Farfetch’d was getting weaker each time a Branch Poke was hitting him…_ ”, I heard Goh whispering to himself and to his Pokémon, without removing the eyes from the battlefield. “ _And the leek he carried was slowing him down. Hope was aware of that and has chosen Thwackey to defeat him. He’s much quicker. A fast Pokémon can avoid moves more easily and aim with more accuracy… Combining with that Metronome, it opens path for a quick knock out. An intelligent strategy…_ ”

Ash went to Farfetch’d, handing over the leek. “ _I’m sorry, Farfetch’d._ _You did your best._ We’ll win next time!”

“ _I’ll train more, Ash!..._ ”, I heard the Pokémon’s response. He was really beaten up! Ash took him to his group of Pokémon to keep an eye at.

“Riolu? Do you want to battle?”

“Yes! I want to face Thwackey!”

“Great! _Let’s go!_ ”

“You tried, Farfetch’d!”, Pikachu told him.

“ _That Thwackey is really fast…_ _I’ve never found anyone so quick!_ ”, the Wild Duck Pokémon replied, exhausted. The Pokémon group observed their Trainer returning to the battlefield, with Riolu in front of him.

“Riolu’s your second choice? Fair enough!”, Hope told him in wonder. I confess I expected him to choose Gengar. _Or even Dragonite!_ Our Trainer’s probably thinking in the same thing.

“It is!”, Ash replied. “We’ll turn down the tables!”

“Hi there, Riolu! I hope you can handle my _Thwackey business_! Your friend didn’t!”

“He’ll get better with time! I’m more experienced than him!”

“Show me then!”

Hope was currently winning the battle. Keep it up, girl!! I think everyone saw already that Thwackey is talented for battling, my group figured this out in the last Gym combat we’ve participated! Could Riolu keep it up with his speed, though?

“Branch Poke! _One more time! Two, one, three! Three, one, two!_ ”

“ _Not gonna let that happen!_ Riolu! Use Double Team!”

“ _What?!_ ”, I exclaimed. _The last time I saw Riolu using battling moves he only knew Vaccum Wave!_ The kid has been training! Impressive! Thwackey was surrounded by fake clones of Riolu.

“Where’s your true self now?!”, the simian asked confused, looking everywhere.

“ _So many false images!..._ _There must be a clue to the real one!..._ BRANCH POKE TO YOUR LEFT!”

“Gotcha, Hope!! _ENTER TO MY GROOVE, RIOLU!_ ”

Swinging his left wooden stick didn’t catch anything. Riolu wasn’t there! Hope hummed in disapproval. This was bad news; the Branch Poke wasn’t now as strong as moments earlier due to the target miss.

“ _Good!_ Riolu! Use Force Palm on Thwackey’s right arm!”

“ _Yoohoo!_ I’m here! High five FORCE PALM!”

“ _GAAH!_ ”, exclaimed Thwackey, pushed a few meters away, dropping his wooden stick. Sparks appeared around his limb. “Ah, no!!!”

“ _Paralyzed?!_ ”, gasped Hope with a sweat drop. “ _What a luck!_ ”

“ _YEAH!_ YOU’RE DOING GREAT, RIOLU!”

“Now you’re slower, Thwackey!”, smirked the Emanation Pokémon.

“ _Impressive!_ For a baby Pokémon like you!”

The green ape tried to retrieve his stick. But Ash didn’t want that to happen.

“Disarm Thwackey once again with a Force Palm to the other hand!”

Riolu obeyed by jumping above his head and giving a strong push with his paw with the move. Thwackey dragged onto the ground, fallen. Now he hadn’t any of his wooden sticks!

“ _Thwackey, get up fast!_ ”

The Paralysis prevented that to happen. _It was like he was trapped on the floor with chains!_

“Riolu can move quicker than Thwackey now! And without the wooden sticks he can’t battle, right? Just like a Farfetch’d, they won’t battle without their favourite item!”, said Ash, now more optimistic.

“Good observation, Ash! So that’s why you chose Riolu! _You’re a Battling Magician!_ _Always with a trick under your top-hat!_ A cap, in your case! _But I’m not giving up!_ Thwackey! Work Up!”

“ _Strooooooonger!!!!!_ Woooork up!!! _AH!_ ”

“ _Vaccum Wave, now!_ ”

“ _Here it goes!!!_ ”

Vaccum Wave hit Thwackey before he could get his wooden sticks back. Riolu continued to hit him, under Ash’s command. Once the Grass-type had these items of choice back, Hope ordered a Double Hit. _Five, three, four, two, one. Five, three, four, two, one._ Riolu was mixed up with the strange numeric command, getting his first hit. “ _DON’T GIVE UP, RIOLU!_ VACCUM WAVE AGAIN!”, Ash shouted.

 _It was an intense close combat. Both were badly damaged._ _Thwackey was getting tired. Riolu as well._

“ _One more Double Hit could be dangerous for Riolu… What to do… Wait!_ Double Team! USE DOUBLE TEAM!”

“ _Catch me if you can!!_ ”

 _More shadow clones._ And they were more than before!! Thwackey tried to hit the visible targets but without avail. _Riolu wasn’t there!!_

“REVERSAL!”

“ _What?!_ ”, both Hope and Thwackey gasped out of surprise. Me too, I didn’t know either that he knew this move! That Ash saved it for this moment! _Sneaky!!!_ As I was predicting, Riolu’s weak condition made the punch extremely strong on Thwackey’s stomach. He flew a few meters up and landed nearby Toxtricity!

“Bro!!! _Are you alright?!?!_ ”

 _He fainted!!_ Thwackey couldn’t respond. _I was shocked!_ Riolu had gotten really strong with time! _What a big difference!_

“Riolu is showing the results of his trainings.”, I heard Raboot saying on his corner.

“ _So strong!_ ”, Sobble whispered.

“You can be strong too one day, Sobble.”, the Rabbit Pokémon told him. _Aw, that’s really nice! The shy reptile smiled._

“That ape’s finally down! I’ll share dinner with Riolu tonight.”, Ash’s Farfetch’d admitted in the end. Pikachu and his other Pokémon laughed to his comment, partying Riolu’s victory who smiled back to the group.

“ _Thwackey, you did a wonderful job there! I’m proud of you!_ ”, Hope told him humbly, patting his head.

“Now you’re even, Ash!!!”

“But we’re far from done yet, Goh!!”, Ash replied with a subtle grin. He then looked to my Trainer. “Hope, your Thwackey was incredible!”

“Thank you! Your Riolu is really strong too! You’re raising it well! _Now…_ Litten?”

“ _Oh, YES! It’s about time!!!_ ”

“Little big sister will battle Ash!! _YEAH! GO FOR IT!_ ”, Toxtricity cheered on me while lifting Thwackey’s arm, the Pokémon was still unconscious!

“ _Oooh! Here she is!!!_ ”, Ash said with fire appearing on his eyes as his hand was closed tight, upwards. “ _We finally battle as opponents, Litten!_ ”

Goh’s eyes opened more widely once he saw me going to the battlefield. He was very interested in my performance, just like his boyfriend. “ _Litten is going to battle!_ ”

“Now this _I’ve got_ to see.”, Goh’s Farfetch’d commented.

“You’ll like.”, Raboot responded. That was cool from him. I wonder if Raboot would enjoy as well. We give a good team at least and he has admitted this before!

“Litten is my original partner.”, Hope said. “It’s thanks to her that I’ve completed the Island Challenge. Together, we’ll do this Gym Challenge in Galar! _And defeat you, Ash!_ ”

Hope did other finger snap. Thwackey and Toxtricity played an ancestral sound. _Oh, yes!_ Time to show our _greeting_ that we did to important opponents at Alola! Ash’s eyebrows lifted when seeing [mine and Hope’s fierce choreography, with the rebel girl doing claps, finger snaps and using her hands to make noises on the body. Her native language quotes she declaimed loudly, echoed the battlefield.](https://youtu.be/I3gbneDt-S4?t=35) _I always love the part we finish with a grimace._ Surprise quickly turned into a feeling of uneasiness, exactly what we wanted to cause on both him and Riolu. The two were sweating from their heads, seeing us in sync to that echoing percussion play of Thwackey and Toxtricity’s string notes. A tumbleweed passed in the middle of the field. Everyone else was silent. Even Goh became a little nervous. He knew we weren’t joking around! He searched for something on his Rotom Phone, and seconds later he muttered to himself, lifting his head from the screen: “ _Litten’s ability is Intimidate…!_ ”

“ _Now that’s unusual!_ ”, Raboot opined. “ _Music to intimidate her adversary._ _That’s like her!_ ”

“ _It’s just music, Riolu… You’ll win this!_ ”

“ _Right! Only music!_ ”, Riolu nodded to Ash’s state of mind.

“Too bad, Riolu. _Are you worried about me?_ I got told you’ve faced an Onix hours after hatching from your egg!”

Riolu frowned. “ _It didn’t dance like that..._ ”

I giggled mischievously. “Riolu!! Use Force Palm on Litten!”, Ash commanded the Emanation Pokémon. Hope immediately instructed me to avoid. I jumped over Riolu’s head. “Flamethrower!!”, she added. A large fire tongue almost touched Riolu’s tail but the blue fellow is a very quick runner, even if he was showing weakness because of Thwackey’s battling of before. But I wasn’t behind either! More Force Palms and Vaccum Waves followed but I could avoid them.

“We were already aware that Litten was agile! So she must be tired out! RIolu, go for a Double Team!”

 _Ah right, there it was again._ False replicas everywhere. Hope smiled and called for my name. “ _Operation Tuning Fork!_ ”, she told out loud. I heard an excitement noise coming from Toxtricity and Thwackey’s corner. They knew what was coming next. All the others tilted their heads, not understanding the coded message. Hope initiated a tap dance with her mouth shut, not emitting a single sound. And she froze after a particular sequence of leg and arm movements. That was a command. So, I gave a spinning jump on the air and used my Flamethrower to cover all the targets until I hit the right one. Surprisingly enough, Riolu managed to get up, even with some notable effort. Ash yelped out of surprise: “ _Did Litten decide this by herself?!_ ”. I laughed. _Yes, Ash. “Keep thinking in that way and you’ll make our battle easier.”_ , I thought back then.

“ _I wasn’t seeing this coming…_ ”, complained Riolu.

Ash gave a new order: “Riolu! Run around Litten!”

I closed my eyes. I didn’t want to get dizzy. And I wanted to focus on the sounds Hope was making on her continued tap dancing. _Here there was, other order._ Now I had to wait for the right time. “Now, use Reversal!”, the boy said.

“ _This is a payback, Litten!!!_ REVERSAL!”

“I don’t think so!”, I rolled to the side and used a Headbutt move to push Riolu to the side.

“DON’T GIVE UP! VACCUM WAVES UPWARDS!”

 _Ouuuch!!!_ Ash predicted I would jump to avoid a ground-level attack, that was clever! But it was just a little scratch what I felt. “Force Palm!”, I heard him saying and begun to avoid Riolu’s proximity. He wasn’t stopping to attack me next with Vaccum Waves, in hopes to land a hit. I was really impressed of how much Riolu had grown since I met him in that day at the beach!

“Something we’ve learnt about your Litten in our journeys is that she’s more comfortable with heights and wides spaces to perform moves!”, Ash confidently told this to Hope. “Riolu is assuring she can’t aim a Flamethrower, a Double Kick or a Headbutt! She can’t also use Swagger either!”

“You really know Litten well!”, Hope smirked. “I would be surprised that the Champion of Alola wouldn’t know her moveset by this point! …That’s why we did a special training before you awaked, Ash! Because I knew this sort of information could be an advantage for you!”

“ _Huh?!_ A special training?!”

“ _To the stone wall, Litten!!_ ”

I obeyed. I was approaching towards that large mineral surface. Riolu kept going after me like a policeman. “ _Why did she send you there?!_ You’ll be cornered!!”, the Pokémon commented. At that point my Trainer did other sound with her inferior limbs followed by lifting her arm and descending it. _Surprise, ladies, gentlemen and genderless Pokémon!!!_ I would perform my newest move!!! I used the wall to gain speed for the dozens of quick jumps that followed, all landing on Riolu. _Everyone was astonished, they weren’t seeing this coming!!_ When I was over, the Emanation Pokémon had just fainted on the ground and I let out a flame spiral on the air to celebrate my knock out feat.

“ _RIOLU!!_ ”, Ash shouted, racing to his Pokémon that was very exhausted and pulled out a soft humble grin.

“ _I’m ok, Ash… Litten’s really strong, though!_ ”

Ash picked him up, smiling to show appreciation about his performance. He looked to Hope and asked with some sort of disbelief: “ _Was that an Acrobatics?!_ ”

“ _I was wondering the same thing!_ ”, commented an incredulous Goh, rushing the taps on his Rotom Phone’s screen to search for data. “ _The information I’ve found confirms it!_ A Flying-type move that Litten can learn through tutoring! And you’ve taught this to her while we were sleeping, Hope?! _She’s a quick learner, no wonder why she’s so smart!_ ”

“No wonder why Riolu couldn’t get up after this! I did find strange you’ve decided to corner your Pokémon but it makes total sense now. Fantastic strategy, Hope!!”

“Thank you, Ash and Goh! Litten’s intelligence is a gift, I observed this the day I begun to teach her how to do a Flamethrower! I bought a Technical Machine number seventy-eight yesterday night with part of the voucher I’ve won in the virtual reality game! This is our secret weapon in case Kabu takes control of the match tonight!”

“That’s an excellent idea of Hope.”, I heard Raboot opining with Goh’s Farfetch’d nodding his head. “And for a first time use in battle, it shows respect.”

“ _Ooooh?_ Are you _complimenting_ me, Raboot?”, I dared to ask him.

“ _Uh!!- Focus on your battle, this didn’t end yet!!_ ”

“As a Flying-type myself, you did pretty good, girl!”, Farfetch’d winked to me with a thumbs up.

“Thank you, Farfetch’d!”

Ash made Riolu to stay side to the Galarian form of the Wild Duck Pokémon. The surrounding friends were cheering and telling positive things to Riolu, who thanked in return. Hope had her arms crossed and legs apart, waiting for Ash’s last Pokémon to enter in the battlefield. I had the feeling he wouldn’t be conventional. And I was right. Pikachu walked side by side with his Trainer. And the Electric-type friend was determined to beat me with that smile on his yellow fur. Hope let out a small laugh. She said:

“For some unexplainable reason I was believing you would choose your signature Pokémon. Your battling style is one of the most unique ones I’ve seen in Pokémon Trainers I’ve battled with. But I’ve studied your Pikachu’s performance on Alola’s Championship! I guess we’re even!”

“Yours is different as well! It doesn’t matter for me if you know how my Pikachu battles. We’re confident in winning this! Right, buddy?!”

“You’ve heard Ash! Enjoy the victory while you can, Litten! We won’t lose!”

“Not if I outsmart you!”

And Hope retook her dance. But I noticed that Ash’s facial expression had altered. He was thinking in something, for sure. A new order from my Trainer. I sprinted towards Pikachu to give a Headbutt. “ _Pikachu! Avoid!!_ ”, Ash told him and he did it. I didn’t land on his body. “Use Quick Attack!”, he ordered. _Bam! My arm felt that! Oooof!!_

“ _Focus! Focus!!_ ”, Hope alerted me, not stopping the dance. This time it was a different noise coming from the feet as well an altered upper limbs gesture. I gave a leap of faith to a slightly distracted Pikachu and I could land a Double Kick! The yellow rodent opponent shook his head, but smiled. “ _My fault._ ”, he told me.

Goh was observing everything. He was interested in the battle, something I wasn’t really used to see considering that knowing the difference between a Tackle and a Giga Impact wasn’t really a thing for the blue-eyes boy. He really had that face of “ _How for the love of Arceus’ divine grace is Ash going to win this if not even himself can predict what move Litten is going to use next?_ ”. It wasn’t being easy to do damage on Pikachu, his blinding speed wasn’t a secret to anyone watching the battle. But he also barely touched me. He never tried an Iron Tail because that wouldn’t really make a difference but that’s also why Hope wasn’t asking me to try other Acrobatics on the red-cheeked Pokémon. Our Trainers juggled in between Quick Attacks, Thunderbolts, Flamethrowers, Double Kicks and Headbutts. Pikachu recognised I was as a good battler as I originally gave the impression in the day we’ve rescued Moltres from Mt. Ember. I appreciated the compliments. But I couldn’t be the only one having that credit. Hope was a tireless person that has shown me great devotion to help me become stronger and overcome my limitations. If I can battle this way, is because she _never_ gave up on me. Even when we had never met each other before in that day of the storm. _That’s why I love and cherish her friendship._

At a certain moment, Ash begun to replicate Hope’s body language with a smirk. “ _Ash, what are you doing?!_ ”, Goh asked his boyfriend from afar. He didn’t respond right away, focused in what he was doing. Hope continued her dance to give me orders. Pikachu continuously avoided the attacks. Then the blue-coated youngster smiled, fired up. He adjusted his cap with a cackle. “ _I’ve figured it out._ ”

“ _Figured out what?_ ”, I thought. Hope’s tap dancing asked me to make a Headbutt on Pikachu’s right side. But his Trainer surprised us: “Pikachu! Throw an Electroweb _to the right!_ ”

_Oh, shoot!! That was so fast that I tripped and fell on the ground, caught up by the Electroweb._

Hope yelped but it didn’t stop her to continue her choreography. She asked me to do a Flamethrower to the ground! What happened was me being projected a few meters away without getting hit by the incoming Thunderbolt! I also got out of Electroweb thanks to the Double Kick she commanded me to do after. _Clever ideas, girl!_

Ash let out a burst of laughter. “ _You have creative ideas as well!_ And secrets to be revealed! Pikachu! Thunderbolt!!”

“THUNDERBOLT!”

Hope rushed a new order. I proceeded to do her request by avoiding the move and about to do a Flamethrower. Ash shouted again: “QUICK ATTACK SIDEWAYS!”

“ _What?!_ ”, Hope shouted in surprise. _Pikachu missed my attack!_ And the Quick Attack landed well for my tough luck!! My Trainer moved again to ask a Double Kick but Ash alerted Pikachu:

“IT’S COMING UP A DOUBLE KICK! _WATCH OUT!_ _BACKWARDS!_ GOOD! NOW THUNDERBOLT ONCE AGAIN!”

“ _FEEL MYYYYYY ENERGYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!_ ”

“ _AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!_ ”

 _That was a screeching noise I’ve made, I confess!_ _Man, you have NO IDEA how POWERFUL is Pikachu’s Thunderbolt! My body ached everywhere!!  
_  
“ _How’s that?!_ ”, Pikachu asked me mischievously.

“ _Five stars… Very shocking!... Gah!!.._.”

And I fell to my left, without any mojo to keep it up.

“ _LITTEN!!_ ”

“ _ALRIGHT, PIKACHU!!_ WELL DONE, BUDDY!”

“ _WE DID IT!!_ ”

“ _Whoooa! Pikachu defeated Litten!_ This was a close combat!!”, Goh enthusiastically spoke out from his mouth.

Hope placed her knees on the dirt to reach me better. “ _Thank you so much…_ ”, she said, smiling to me with her hand shaking my paw. I smiled back.

“I’m impressed, _Operation Tuning Fork_ didn’t beat your Pikachu…”

“Do you mean the hidden orders you were asking Litten to do?”

Ash tried to replicate, with errors but close enough, her legs and arm poses.

“Flamethrower. Double Kick. Acrobatics. Headbutt. Avoid. Run. You coded all these moves for only Litten could understand and both me and Pikachu not managing to predict what would happen next.”

Hope had no choice other than admitting Ash was correct. Our strategy was found out! She was curious however to know how did he get there. She did him this question, obtaining this response with a wink:

“The way you’ve battled with Litten reminded me off two combats I’ve experienced during my journey in Kalos. I met a friend called Tierno where dancing was the key for his combat style. I’ve also faced Diantha, the regional Champion, who only used her eyes to instruct her Gardevoir! So, I started to look to your dancing steps and I figured out they were the messages for Litten to know what to do.”

“ _Why…_ Too bad for me! And me thinking this plan would work out against you. Afterall you’ve met before opponents that had variants of this type of strategy!”

Goh humbly smiled to his lover, without his noticing of the visual contact. And I was pretty sure it was not an optical illusion, nor a side effect of the zapping Thunderbolt I got hit, but the Vermilion citizen’s cheek was a little redder than the usual. He could only be proud of his boyfriend; Ash is unquestionably talented for Pokémon Battling and to take me down!

I was now side to Thwackey and Toxtricity, who were telling me I was amazing and they couldn’t be prouder! They’re sweethearts despite of both being such big goofballs! Hope observed her tallest Pokémon. Once their eyes have met, Toxtricity smirked towards Pikachu. The two walked to the battlefield. It wasn’t all onto the three-fingered hands of my big baby brother. Only in his intellect because I can guarantee he became the strongest of our group in Pokémon Battling. And he wanted to show this to every [spectator by playing other video game music track on his chest protrusion, glaring to Pikachu without removing his silly grin](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZrlGWSQE9M).

“It’s Toxtricity’s time! He must have grown a lot as a battler in the latest weeks!”

“You’re right, Ash! You saw how strong was his Thunder back at Cerise Park? And he wasn’t experienced in battles yet!”

“Not to mention he has shown us Poison Jab, Overdrive and Boomburst before! All equally dangerous moves! Be cautious, Pikachu! Ash!”

“This is under our control, Goh! We’ll win this!”

“Are you so sure about that? _I would rethink in your place!_ ”

Everyone stared to Hope, not understanding what she wanted to mean with all that fully filled chest of determination. Diverse noises echoed when Hope removed an object from her pocket, and placed it on her arm.

“ _HOLD ON!! IS THAT…?!_ ”

“ _A DYNAMAX BAND!!_ ”

“ _That’s right, boys!_ And we’re stepping a den!”, informed the Alolan girl, raising her arm with the item absorbing a pink light. She proceeded to show the Ultra Ball that belongs to Toxtricity to take him inside the spherical object and wait for its size to increase. In the end, she threw the giant ball way up and a titanic version of the Electric and Poison-type Pokémon landed onto the ground, shaking everything around. _Even Sobble became invisible!_ Our brother had also changed the appearance: he looked like he was the closest cousin of Kanto’s abandoned Power Plant. His eyes seemed like they were about to shoot lasers and there were blue and yellow frills adorning the whole head and spine. He briefly stood up by two with a conjured electric guitar _(really, electric on its real element!!)_ and [played other fitting song more loudly than an amateur metal music group in a Summer festival](https://youtu.be/slTXDZPSPhk?t=260). _WAHOOO! HAHA!_ _Their faces were worth a snapshot!!_

“ _T-TOXTRICITY DYNAMAXED!!_ ”

“ _NO, ASH! IT’S NOT DYNAMAX!! HE GIGANTAMAXED!!!_ ”, Goh anxiously corrected Ash after having scanned the form of the Pokémon, trying to ensure the wind wouldn’t take the phone away from his hand.

“ _Incredible!!!..._ ”

“ _What do you think, boys?!_ I also got surprised when I got told my Toxtricity could Gigantamax! How will you counter my Pokémon? I’m waiting!!”

Ash hesitated for a few seconds. Pikachu was nervous but I think he had the same plan as his Trainer. He took off his own Dynamax Band and wore it.  
  
“ _The training couldn’t be more complete. We’re going to practice Dynamaxing, Pikachu!_ ”

“ _I’m ready!!_ ”

“ _LET’S DYNAMAX!!!_ ”

Ash lifted his arm. We were impressed that no Poké Ball was required to do this! Pikachu was now even on size, but he also had changed his physical form!

“ _If that’s a Gigantamax Battle you want, then that’s what you’ll get!_ ”, Pikachu told to Toxtricity.

“ _The music won’t stop as far as I can move!!_ ”, my brother replied.

“ _How many more surprises do you have for me, Ash?! Your Pikachu can also Gigantamax?! Hahaha! This is so exciting!!_ ”

“It can! And Pikachu cannot wait to take down your impressive Toxtricity!”

“ _Don’t get overconfident, Ash!!_ Toxtricity! Use Max Ooze!!”

The ground around Pikachu became as slimy as a molten chewing gum! A poison jet hit Pikachu.

“ _Ah!! Powerfull, arghhh!!..._ ”

“ _HANG IN THERE, PIKACHU!_ _SPREAD YOUR FEET APART TO KEEP YOURSELF BALANCED!_ ”

“ _Got it!!_ _It’s still hard to get used to this form!_ ”

The Pallet Town Trainer kept observing the Gigantamax form of Toxtricity, who stood by four right after performing the move. This caught the youngster’s attention. Seconds later after some observing on Toxtricity’s giant spike surrounded by the three rotating red clouds, his pupils shrunk. _Oh boy, an idea appeared!!_

“YOU’RE DOING GREAT AND I HAVE A PLAN! USE MAX STEELSPIKE! UNDER TOXTRICITY’S LEFT FOOT AND HAND!”

Pikachu grabbed his own tail and used it like an axe, opening a fissure on the soil. Lots and lots of metal spikes traced a path towards the pointed direction. It made Toxtricity lose balance!

“ _AGAIN! TO THE RIGHT!_ ”, Ash ordered.

“ _TOXTRICITY!_ GET UP BEFORE YOU’RE HIT!”

That was a slightly difficult request. Pikachu hit on the standing paws and our titanic fell with his belly down. Ash asked the same move for the third time but now directed to the middle. The emerging sharp objects made Toxtricity flip upside down. To our bad luck, he now couldn’t really get up! _His spiky tail was stabbed on the floor!!!_

“ _NO!!_ ”, Hope yelled.

“ _YES!_ STAY STILL! MAX STRIKE!!”

“ _HERE IT GOES!_ _A CANON BALL!_ ”

 _This was really hard to watch on our side!_ We weren’t expecting Toxtricity to manage to land _only one move_ on Pikachu! And even less that he would take advantage of the four paws and the rigid back spike to immobilize him! Hope had other problem. Pikachu is an Electric-type too. Toxtricity couldn’t use his most powerful move on our rodent adversary. He managed to do a critical hit with that Max Strike.

“ _LET’S FINISH THIS WITH A LAST ONE!_ ”

“MAX STRIKE! _THE SHOW’S OVER!_ ”

We screamed, listening to our big baby brother’s screech as he was sent upwards with the Normal-type Dynamax move. “ _TOXTRICITY!!!_ ”, Hope yelled in panic. And he shrunk, with no more will to battle. _I couldn’t believe it._ Hope and all of us _lost_ for the first time since we’ve faced Nanu. This Gigantamax Battle ended too quickly! _What a pity!!_

Ash jumped vigorously on his spot declaiming “ _hooray_ ”s and “ _you’re the best_ ”s. The same thing went for the assisting Pokémon behind him. “ _Well done, Pikachu! Congratulations!_ ” and other similar stuff were shouted in celebration. Goh was in near hysteria. He was blown away by the intensity of this three versus three single battle. Farfetch’d and Raboot nodded, approving the quality of the combat. Sobble became visible again, asking to his friends a timid “ _Is it over?_ ”. “ _Yes, Sobble. It’s safe now!_ ”, the Rabbit Pokémon responded. Hope was checking on Toxtricity. Thwackey and I did the same thing. He gave us a thumbs up, mumbling a “ _The show must go on…_ ”, _haha!_ Typical response from this goofy Punk Pokémon! Pikachu had returned to normal in the meantime, being hugged by his Trainer. After the celebration, he walked to our front, stretching his hand to our Alolan partner. “There’s no doubt about it. You truly deserved that collection of Z-Crystals and Island Challenge stamps.”, he happily told her. She nearly got moved but she frowned in determination to disguise this and firmly grabbed his hand. Ash helped her getting up and they have both shaken hands. Hope laughed. “ _Wahooo!!! A Hundred Sweet Malasadas, Ash Ketchum!!!_ The last time I had an exciting battle like this one was against Nanu! I had no doubts before about your capabilities as a Pokémon Trainer. After all I saw you taking down Tapu Koko in the Pokémon League, but today I got _two hundred percent surer_ that you’re a _very_ powerful one! Kudos to you and to your Pokémon, _you were all fantastic!!_ Thank you for battling us, it was an honour!!”

“ _Ah, I still have lots to improve!_ But thank you!! You’re incredible as well, Hope! It has been a while I had a battle cornering me this way too!”

“I’m not a battling expert but one thing got clear to me: You’ll leave Motostoke Stadium with three badges in your possession!”, Goh told Hope after joining us.

“ _Absolutely!_ I agree with Goh! I’m absolutely convinced that this will be cakewalk for you! I think you’re in a much higher level for a Trainer that owns two Gym badges. You can do this!”

Hope blushed a little and bowed, thanking her friends once again for all their compliments and support. Ash’s Farfetch’d looked to my exhausted group and told us:

“When the truth needs to be said, I say it. You did a good effort. And Thwackey? Next time I won’t lose to your _Thwackey business_ of yours.”

“ _Ha! Keep dreaming, Wild Duck dude!_ But sure! I won’t mind someone to play some pranks to!”

The two Pokémon showed their items of choice and crossed them on a touch spot, similar to a handshake. I was happy to see some sportsmanship.

Thwackey showed next his free hand to Riolu. “ _Good job, kiddo!_ You’re gonna be a very cool Lucario before a Grimmsnarl scrubs an eye!”

“Thanks, Thwackey! I can’t wait for that day to come!”

The two did sort of a “brofist”. Riolu turned to me and smiled. “Thanks for the battle, Litten! You surprised me with those air acrobatics!”

“I prefer to surprise others than to be surprised myself. _High five!_ And sorry for my earlier dance but I get very involved when Hope and I make an _haka_ …”

“That’s fine!”, he giggled, showing his paw. We did a high five. Pikachu quickly approached me and Toxtricity while showing both paws.

“And you two were great as well”

“ _But, Pikachu!_ I barely did anything!”, Toxtricity replied, a little sad.

“Ash was really smart by making Toxtricity lose balance and immobilize him on the accidented ground like a nail on a wall. Nobody has ever occurred to do such thing with our brother!”

“With him, there’s always a solution! Even if it sounds crazy for most people! You both were great, really! I’m sure you won’t have issues against Kabu’s Pokémon!”

My purple brother and I smiled, retributing the high five to the Mouse Pokémon. Others went to see us to compliment the battle. Of course, Dragonite’s air-cutting hugs weren’t missing! And Gengar was pouting despite of his Trainer’s victory.

“Too bad, Gengar! Maybe next time we’ll battle!”

“The smallest Pokémon had all the fun! _Geez!_ ”

We laughed. Raboot stepped to our front, that moved everyone’s attentions to him. He had his eyes closed and his hands hidden on his dark fur. “No matter what happens tonight, Litten, you have nothing to prove to us… We all know you’re fire. Bigger than a Dynamaxed Pokémon.”

 _I…_ I had no idea what to say. I felt flattered, I’ll admit it. But I think that was because of the awkward silence of all the surrounding Pokémon. Raboot was going to add something but Goh prevented that to happen by suggesting everyone that it was time to return to our tents spot, to heal all the participating battlers and doing a break. Hope and Ash agreed, asking us to follow them. When I was about to go along with the group, Raboot showed his stretched arm. I thought he wanted to tell me something sarcastic or to simply mess around with me for having lost. He actually bent himself, flexed his knees and stretched his upper limbs backwards. “ _Climb._ ”, he said. I must have stuttered; I was still absorbing that information. _Raboot was willing to help me?!_ _What Bug-type Pokémon had bitten him?_ _A Blipbug?!_ “ _Is it for today or tomorrow?_ ”, he asked me. I eventually climbed to his back. He was carrying me back to the tents.  
  
“ _Wow… Thank you, Raboot._ I know I must _stink_ electricity but I could walk back on my own.”

“ _I’m only doing this because you need to be fully recovered by the point you enter in the stadium. I’m sure you don’t want to disappoint Hope, nor Ash or even my Trainer._ ”

I humbly smiled. “You’re right. Thanks for the consideration… _And your earlier compliment._ ”

I felt a small hiccup on the Rabbit Pokémon, and his ears covering his cheeks. I wasn’t really understanding what for. _Oh well!_ I guess it wasn’t important. Once I would be healed, I thought I could eat a third breakfast. _Or a brunch. I have no idea how much time have passed since the last meal._

* * *

Ash and Goh now couldn’t question the high organisation level of my Trainer. They saw that she had all sorts of medicine sprays in her possession to heal us. She had Super Potions for everyone and a Full Heal for Thwackey’s paralysis. Ash thanked her a lot for the trouble of healing his three battling Pokémon. There was no need for the gratitude showcase in her opinion! It was all done with goodwill! As everybody rested, the human trio was talking about different things. The boyfriends took the advantage to explain how they caught their most recent Pokémon in this very region we were all stepping in. Sobble was a bit shy, but Hope managed to get some of his trust with her kind spirit and with a tasty Oran Berry on her palm. She asked plenty of questions about the biologic traits of him and the Galarian form of the Wild Duck Pokémon. Goh showed information from his Rotom Phone and explained a few extra things alongside with his lover. Given that the newcomers were the central theme of the chat, there was the unavoidable question asked by Ash:

“Tell us, Hope! How did you find that Thwackey?”

“ _Find?_ It was him who found me!”, laughed Hope while patting the simian’s head.

“You didn’t capture him?”

“As I’ve explained you, Goh, I don’t really capture Pokémon.”, Hope humbly smiled, reminding her friend about this fact. “Actually, I originally thought that this Gym Challenge would be solely done with Litten and Toxtricity, who already were getting along quite well. It turned out that Thwackey, as a Grookey, was watching our trainings in Turffield’s outskirts for our first Gym battle. At first, I thought he just wanted some food so I gave him a berry. But not only he wanted my berry as he wanted my cap!”

Ash gave a burst of laughter. “That reminds me when it passed a few time after I began my journey as a Pokémon Trainer. There was a Mankey that did me the same thing! And an Aipom I used to have!”

“ _They stole your cap?_ That’s an achievement in the reach of few.”, Goh joked, winking to his boyfriend.

“ _If you got my cap yesterday at the restaurant it was because I was distracted!_ ”, falsely pouted Ash, crossing his arms.

“ _Right_ …”

Hope giggled after Goh had gently poked Ash’s arm with his hand, amused after that cute interaction. “ _As I was saying…_ ”, she continued. “I had some trouble to get the cap back…”

The boys wondered about the awkward chuckle of the girl. And without any surprise, Thwackey was shamelessly cackling with all his teeth because he knew what she would talk about to the boys next. And upon listening to the beginning of the sentence, it pretty much confirmed I was right. I remember well. Grookey had decided to prank a colony of Diglett by handing over the cap to a random Pokémon emerging out of those holes. It was a nightmare to get it back because the scenario around us was extremely identical to a _whacking fair game_ , except that we used our hands to reach a Diglett’s head inside the ground tunnels! The green ape couldn’t stop laughing about our struggle! And once Hope managed the cap back, Grookey went to a nearby tree trunk and started to play such a loud music that it ruined the _beauty sleep_ of a pack of Electrike. And the _shameless_ Grass-type, once those electrical quadrupeds glared to him, he pointed us saying “I saw them playing this in purpose to awake you! _Get them!!_ ”. Honestly, that part _wasn’t_ funny, Thwackey. _Stop laughing!!_ The music that Toxtricity [desperately played on his chest protrusion during the Electric-type Pokémon chase to give us a good Thunder Fang on our rears didn’t leave my head](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NH8kAgd0Wuo). The boys were sweating out of their heads, understanding we hadn’t the smoothest encounter at first.

“ _A-And how did things work out then?_ ”

“It was after we’ve defeated Milo at Turffield.”, she explained to Ash. “Grookey watched our battle and followed all of us until Hulbury! But he wasn’t interacting with us at first. He probably thought we were mad after him. I decided to take off my ukulele and play him a song to show we weren’t hostile people. Litten and Toxtricity helped me. I think Grookey got so impressed that he begun to hit different objects he could find to show us he wanted to play music like we did! I found it so adorable that he wanted to come with us that I had no choice other than accepting his will. I went to buy a Nest Ball to become his Trainer. I also gave him my Metronome and a belt to hold it. I thought he needed some guidance to learn about rhythms.”

“So that’s how you’ve met him! When did he evolve?”, Goh asked.

“During Nessa’s Gym Battle. We’ve trained before in order for me to understand the Pokémon’s battling potential and Thwackey helped me taking down the first two Pokémon of hers! But her Drednaw knocked him out next. He did a great job despite of this!”

“Your Thwackey’s a good battler! I still need to train a lot with Farfetch’d. I only have him on my side since one day!”

“I’m sure you already know about this but persistence is the key, Ash!”, she winked.

“We’ll get there! Just give me time!”

I smiled along with the other Pokémon. They now knew how Thwackey had joined our family. But they had only met him for a few couple of hours and they wanted to know him better. So, I had an idea.

“ _Guys, guys!_ Instead of bombarding Thwackey with questions like an Octillery defending its territory, why don’t we play a game?”

“ _A game?!?! Ohohoho!!!_ ”, Toxtricity asked in great excitement.

“What type of game, Litten?”, Pikachu happily wondered.

“A small competition. And we’re going to need that pair of trees, these extra Escape Ropes from Hope’s backpack, and the flexible tree over there, plus some volunteers. A muscled Pokémon and a water-spitting one, concretely.”

Everyone has exchanged looks. But I explained how was this going to work out. Dragonite and Gengar tied one rope a few centimetres over the floor, in between two distant trees. I asked Sobble to create an improvised water pond. He did quite an effort, the little one! Riolu volunteered himself to be the launcher, tying a knot with the second rope on the small and flexible tree. And now everything was set to start the game!

“OK, who wants to be the first one? _Besides Toxtricity?_ ”, I asked, trying to ignore my overly thrilled and hopping big baby brother with the arm way up.

“ _Me, me!!_ ”

“Alright, Gengar! Go to the trunk!”

“ _Ehehehehe… This is going to be piece of cake!_ ”

Gengar sat down on the tree, being gradually pulled backwards by Riolu’s exceptional strength. The Emanation Pokémon smiled and told him:

“Ready when you are! Tell me when I can release the rope!”

“ _Launch me!_ ”

“ _Go!_ ”

“ _Weeeee!~_ ”, laughed a catapulted Gengar, who passed above the rope level and the pond without any issues. Us Pokémon clapped. _Nice one!!_ “Thank you, thank you!”, Gengar bowed in delight.

“Next?”  
  
“This sounds fun! Let me try it!”

“Sure, Pikachu! Hop to the tree!”

Now it was our Electric-type friend’s turn. Riolu started to pull, until Pikachu’s warning. “ _Now!!_ ”, he said and his blue-coloured friend let out the rope. Pikachu successfully did the same feat as his Ghost-type friend! He laughed out loud: “ _This is so much fun!_ ”

“Welcome to the Victorious Corner, Pikachu!”

“Thanks, Gengar!”

“Now, who wants to be the third? Thwackey?”

“ _Oh yes!_ Just wait! I will show Flying-types how it’s done! _Not talking about you, Dragonite and Farfetch’d! No offense!_ ”

“ _I-I wasn’t even thinking about that!_ ”, the dragon awkwardly responded while scratching his nape. Goh’s Farfetch’d had an identical reaction.

[Toxtricity played a tune as the simian buddy was climbing Riolu’s tree](https://youtu.be/EcGFCtBt9Fc?t=30). Thwackey aligned on the joke by using his wooden sticks to do percussion notes of the same song on the tree’s bark.

“ _Alright, alright! Enough superstar orchestral music!_ Show us your flight!”

“Sure, sis! Riolu, fellow! _Give us yar best throw!_ ”

“You need to tell me when to stop to pull!”

“ _Pull!... Pull!... Pull!!!_ ”

“ _Even more?!_ ”

“ _More, buddy! There! Now!!!_ ”

And there it went a flying Thwackey. He was enjoying this way _too_ much. He crossed his arms behind his head, and crossed the legs. When he passed above Gengar’s head, he waved and sticked out his tongue! “ _Showoff…_ ”, the Ghost-type complained, _hahaha!_ Thwackey didn’t need to go that far, of course! He almost slammed against a tree but his primate reflexes prevented that funny scenario to happen, grabbing himself on a branch. _A pity, I think Gengar was wishing very hard inside that gaseous head that this would happen!_

“That was an impressive throw. Can I go now?”

“ _Oh!_ Farfetch’d! Do you want to try?”

“I don’t see why I wouldn’t!”, Goh’s Pokémon said before flying to the vegetal catapult with a leak on his beak. At the right time, he asked Riolu to let him go. And he joined the other three participants, congratulating him for the successful landing.

“ _Hold this for me._ ”

“ _Me?_ Uh, sure!”, Toxtricity accepted after some surprise.

“ _Wow, Farfetch’d!_ You’ll play with us?”

“ _I just don’t want any of you to think that I’m a coward._ ”

Well, the Galarian Wild Duck Pokémon was probably inspired by his equal specimen friend’s participation! He also crossed the pond with zero difficulties. “ _Well done, friend!_ ”, Goh’s Farfetch’d told him. Ash’s one smiled with pride.

“I’m going next if you don’t mind!”, I told everyone. Nobody had opposed.

“ _Go, Little big sister!!_ ”, he cheered on me with [another chest protrusion tune](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjbEeVC1yxY).

“I said _no_ music, Toxtricity!!”, I told him to make the goofy Pokémon stop with the concerts, I was feeling embarrassed. The remaining group cheered on me anyway! I winked to Riolu upon sitting down on the trunk. _He pulled, pulled, pulled…_ OK, it was good! I asked him to release. _Wahoo! I didn’t go for a bath!_ I was well received by the participating Pokémon. They said it was a good flight too! I was happy.

 _Now look at that!_ Raboot didn’t proclaim a word and jumped straight to the tree. I was thinking he wouldn’t play! He used his arm to give the signal to Riolu. The Rabbit Pokémon flied and did a very cool landing. It deserved an applause from all of us! Raboot seemed to be proud when he looked to us.

Surprises weren’t over yet. Sobble shyly asked “ _…Can I play too?..._ ” _._ Raboot encouraged him from afar that he could do a good jump! And that’s what had happened! The poor reptile only needed my help to not have a nasty landing so I’ve used my mouth to pick him up in middle air by the tail. “ _Thank you, Litten!_ ”, the cute Water-type told me as I placed him on the ground.

“Nice reflexes, Litten. Thanks for helping out Sobble.”, Raboot told me with an evident smile out of his collar.

“Hey, don’t mention it!”, I smiled back. I confess I was starting to get used to a more opened Raboot. _But I wondered why he was being so nice in this day…_

Gengar had to fly to the other side of the pond to make Riolu able to play with us. It was also nice to see the Emanation Pokémon much more emotionally comfortable with everyone! This is something I had already noticed in the last weeks of therapy of Hope. We could only embrace the progress!

“ _Now, Gengar_!”

“ _WOOSH!_ ”

“ _AHA! CHECK IT OUT!! I CAN FLY TOO!_ ”

Riolu landed on our spot. So far, no disqualifications! We applauded the blue Pokémon who was flustered with our cheering. Toxtricity was next. He looked like a four-year old human kid in the Christmas morning. _He didn’t stop chuckling in that catapult…_ _[playing other musical theme on his body of course](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSWW9OrlQy8)_ _._ Gengar kept pulling the rope, wondering how many years it would take for Toxtricity to decide it was fine to let him fly.

“ _Any day, now!..._ ”

“Stretch all you can!”

“ _I’m almost on my max!!_ ”

“Alright! _HIT IT, GENGAR!_ ”

“[ _I BELIEVE I CAN FLYY!! I BELIEVE I CAN TOUCH THE SK-_](https://youtu.be/kFN3l2NuoE0?t=84)”, he sung in middle air. _What a silly brother I had to get, right?_ _I sometimes ask that to myself._ His vocal performance was interrupted because there must have been some lack of coordination between him and Gengar. Toxtricity ended flying in a very tight arc trajectory and landed with his face on the water pond, splashing almost everybody. I had a laughter attack. Raboot couldn’t do a poker face and chuckled as well. Pikachu laughed next and then it was a chain reaction to all of us. Even Toxtricity himself after making a disapproval glaring to the group! Our laughter had brought the attention of our Trainers, admired by our entertainment. They saw Dragonite’s turn, who also managed to avoid the pond. Gengar joined the group mocking tremendously my big baby brother. Toxtricity was now bitter that he was the only one falling into water. _And on the easiest stage._ So, he begun to splash us. This was the spark for the friendly water battle that followed. I absolutely hate water and the Punk Pokémon was more than aware of that but he still thought it was a good idea to wet my fur. _Just to annoy me._ Raboot surprised me once more: he purposely made himself soaked on water as an act of solidarity with me. _Blipbug bites must really have severe effects on a Pokémon’s brain. Vikavolt, go home!! Venomoth? You too! Amateurs!!_ I don’t know how did we handle to be so much time inside water and awkwardly tried our best to soak that sore-losing Pokémon. Sobble was probably somewhere in the pond because I only saw Water Guns coming out from random spots, targeting Toxtricity!

“Well, look at that!”, Hope happily noted to the boys.

“They’re surely having fun!”, Ash added.

“It seems they were playing a game before? _I wonder who organised it…_ ”, Goh asked with curiosity. “ _Pokémon are surely underestimated creatures at times._ ”

Hope smiled and got up from the floor. “I should take the opportunity of their distraction time to cook our lunch.”

“ _Lunch?!_ ”, Ash reached enthusiastically, getting up. “What will you cook?!”

“I’ll correct you, Ash: What _we_ ’ll cook.”

“ _W-We?_ ”

“ _We_ because you two are going to help me out with lunch.”

“ _Me too?!_ ”, Goh yelped, a little worried.

“If you’re able to cook a stew with star-shaped carrots for your boyfriend, you can make a Galarian curry as well!”

Goh’s face turned red in a finger snap after Hope’s argument. Ash was getting even more fired up to help out his friend.

“ _Curry!_ We’ve tasted curry for the first time yesterday! _It’s so good!!!_ ”

Hope prepared a tiny cauldron. Normally she asks for my help to lit it but she handled to make some fire alone. The lass asked them to hand over a few ingredients she needed. It was funny to observe that because either they were mistaking on them or having trouble to keep up with the pace. They did her a lot of questions about the food confection. The more Hope gave the answers, the more Ash was slurping. Goh’s eyes were sparkling, on the other hand! Christophe gave her a recipe book to use during her journey in Galar region, containing a lot of recipes with the famous regional meal. It was being useful right now! The Alolan girl took off a Magikarp-pattern fan from her backpack and started to fan the flames. This step was important to ensure that the curry temperature would be stable. She explained this to the lovebirds. The yummy smell was reaching to us Pokémon. I know it won’t be surprising for you if I say that this is what ended the aquatic war. As soon as the scent reached the microscopic nostrils of Toxtricity, he began to [play a song on his chest protrusion while yelling _“CURRY!!”_](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPQBfw-ECek), joining the children in a sprint! Everyone else followed him, myself included. _Oh yes, it was smelling wonderfully!_ After finding the right boiling temperature, Hope asked Ash to keep up with the fan. The Alolan girl needed to stir everything. She asked Goh to give a few more ingredients… _and to push Thwackey to the side because she couldn’t focus with his breath a few centimetres away from her ears!_ I chuckled when I saw the two Farfetch’d hiding their leeks behind their spines, _just in case!! A few ingredients, and a few minutes later after putting her heart into the meal, the curry was…_

“ _Ready!!_ ”, she said. “ _It’s lunch time, everyone!_ Show me your plates, please! Today we’re eating a Mushroom Medley Curry!”

Reactions were diverse, but all had one thing in common: fascination. And when everyone gave the first bite, even Hope wasn’t outside the _“Glittering Eyes Club_ ”! The food was so so so so so SO GOOD!!!! It was worth the wait!

“ _Hope, you’re a good cooker!_ ”, Goh complimented. “ _The consistency of these mushrooms is on spot!_ ”

“ _Don’t forget about the sauce! It’s amazing, really!!_ ”

“Thank you, boys! You’ve also contributed for the success of the recipe! But I’ve just limited myself to follow what was written in the book.”

“ _This is good!!_ ”, Sobble complimented with a big smile on his face. Raboot was pleased.

“Do you like Hope’s curry? Good. Your Trainer did great, Litten.”

“She has never made a food I didn’t like, at least. _It’s always Charizard Class!_ ”, I responded with a wink.

“I approve it too!”, Pikachu told me with a big smile on his face. “Your stomach will be prepared for the sunset, at least!”

I laughed at his comment. He had a good point. We won’t be hungry or without energy by then! The rest of the lunch time was serene. The children were talking more and even Hope decided to play a few music with her ukulele to show to her friends what she had been singing lately, very influenced by the Galarian folklore music. Ash and Goh were impressed with Hope’s singing, ukulele play, and simultaneous dancing. It was a much more complete experience when compared with what they had heard in our house a few weeks ago. This, my friends, is the true Hope. You could feel an immense joy in her vocal cords. The girl took the opportunity to showcase a particular song that she played along with Toxtricity and I on the first day we’ve travelled alone in Galar. Thwackey already knew the lyrics and the right beat so he joined us to play it. Hope put the music instrument on the floor because she would use body sounds through clapping, finger snaps and slaps on her limbs. We Pokémon begun playing the notes as soon as she started singing the sentence: “[ _The journey starts todaaaaaay!!_](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpqKuidqudU) _~_ ”. I could see In this particular moment that the boys were paying attention to the lyrics. It sounded very relatable, wasn’t that right _lovebirds? Ehe!!_ When Hope sung the _“If I lose my grip, will you be there to pick me up?”_ part, I noticed a discrete hand touch from the cap-wearing boy to the prominent eyelashes lad’s one. There was a quick eye contact through peripheral vision that made them stop touching, but not hiding a subtle blush over their cheeks. They could try anything, _but they wouldn’t manage being not cute!_

Our Trainer had also entertained us Pokémon with other types of tunes. One of them was played in purpose for Raboot to evaluate his dancing skills, the moment that the young researchers were discussing about other adventures they had and Hope had learnt about happened in that day they’ve visited Hoenn region and there was an issue with Pokémon disputing for territory. “ _Not bad at all, Raboot!_ I can see now why the colony wanted your help back there!”, she told him. He blushed a little, I saw that. He blushed even more when he looked to me and decided to turn his head away. _Sometimes I don’t understand that long-foot pal. Raboot’s a truly complex Pokémon…_

The beginning of the afternoon was spent making two more rounds of the pond game. Toxtricity couldn’t play so this time he was the one that had to pull the catapulting tree. Nobody wanted to lose. The rope was now over a meter high from the ground. Ash’s Farfetch’d was the first Pokémon of the second phase to fly. And he wanted to show he wasn’t fooling around. He decided to go to the tree trunk with his opulent vegetable on one of his wings. A bigger weight makes it more difficult, that’s true! Anyway, he managed to across the obstacles! He did a wing gesture of invitation for more Pokémon to try reaching him. I went next. It was rather easy to avoid the rope-bar. And I didn’t go for an unwanted bath. Both Farfetch’d and I were able to go for the final round. But who else would join us? Dragonite, Raboot, Sobble, Pikachu and Goh’s Farfetch’d. Riolu, Thwackey and Gengar didn’t pass! The first passed the rope but fell on water. Thwackey tripped on the rope because of one toe. As for Gengar, he started to float on his own and Ash’s Farfetch’d alongside with Raboot begun scolding him because that was cheating. All we got was a grimace in return from the red-eyed Pokémon.

The last round would decide it all. The rope was at least _three meters high_! Even the children were wowed, watching carefully our two rounds and cheering on their Pokémon. _I think we might have exaggerated with the position of the rope._ Goh’s Farfetch’d passed under the rope, being forced to fly on his own. Ash’s equivalent Pokémon tried to reach the mark by stretching his wing holding the leek but that wouldn’t change a thing. He fell to water because the Galarian Farfetch’d can’t fly! He punched the water in frustration. Dragonite seemed to be _so so close_ to pass the rope but his _tail tip touched it_!! Everyone was being disqualified one by one. Pikachu managed to pass the rope, giving a second false hope to Ash who placed the hands over his head when his Pokémon joined Farfetch’d on water.

The winner wouldn’t be any of Ash’s Pokémon like the beach ball play we did in the Sevii Islands! Raboot wanted to be the next one. And his flight was the most _ungrateful_ of them all. He passed the rope and when he was about to reach the safe ground… he sneezed and fell with a foot on the edge of the pond!! _Poor, poor Raboot!!!_ He was shaking with an expression of frown. Goh’s Farfetch’d had to touch him with his leek to make him vent out his frustration with a screech! It was me versus Sobble now. He didn’t mind me to go next. So, I asked my big baby brother to release me when the tree was almost parallel to the floor. _I did pass the rope!_ But I hadn’t enough distance to reach the other side so I was screaming because I thought I would have another unwanted dive! _I just hate water…!_ However, that didn’t happen. Because Raboot entered in water and picked me up! _He saved me!!_ That was pretty caring from him! I didn’t know how to express my gratitude… I noticed a reaction from our Trainers. Hope seemed to be whispering something to Goh that made him startled, negating with his head. Ash looked confused, looking to one and to other, tilting his head with both Hope and Goh patting his shoulders while sighing. _I wonder what was that talk about…_ In the meantime, we were all on the safe ground to see the last flight of the game. Would this end up in a draw? No! Sobble crossed the rope and the pond in safety! Raboot jumped to his rescue on the fall beyond the pond. _What a surprise!_ The timid Water-type was today’s winner! We all circled him, congratulating the Pokémon and telling all sorts of positive stuff. Goh came to our spot to give him a good hug. The boy was also happy for him! Ash and Hope were clapping on distance. Sobble was smiling in delight, shyly appreciating our reactions! _Never_ judge Pokémon by their appearance, that’s something to keep in mind for the future!

* * *

We did some training of our moves with Hope. Ash supervised us and did a few recommendations. Goh had also shared a few useful information to her after researching more about Centiskorch and other Pokémon. There was no guarantee what would be the other two Pokémon that Kabu would send out in battle but it was for the best to study a little the opponent’s battling style. Once it missed two hours for the appointed challenge, we left the Wild Area and had entered Motostoke. Interesting how it was predominantly made of bricks and full of old machinery! Hope saw where the record shop was located. But as she said, she would only visit it after the match where the girl could check their stock with more calmness.

There was only time to choose a café to have a snack since the Gym Challengers need to do the check-in an hour before the battle in the stadium’s counter. Hope was having trouble to hide some of her anxiety. I confess it wasn’t usual to see her in this state. But I liked Ash’s attitude during the light meal. He assured his friend that she was more than capable and ready to win that third Gym Badge, not to mention she’s one of the most skilled Trainers he had ever faced. The lad even winked at her saying that she could have given him an extra challenge if she was participating in the League tournament back in Alola. Goh smiled, observing that Hope was becoming more optimistic about her performance. The sweatshirt boy also gave an extra encouragement word, saying that she has plenty of knowledge beyond Pokémon Battles and that could be very useful to create a strategy. These Kantonian children are truly amazing. It’s rare to observe so much kindness in humans. I might have felt something back in the day when Goh tried to capture me in Vermilion City when believing I was a wild Pokémon. These kids aren’t normal in the good sense of the adjective. I never expected they would become so important to my Trainer’s life, and to her recovery! I’m glad I went to the plaza in that morning!

The check-in was done. The boys and their Pokémon wished us good luck before we’ve entered into the changing room. Hope had to wear her Gym Challenge jersey and her Dynamax Band. She was sat down on the bench, downcast, waiting for the official call to step on the field. The girl was getting nervous again. I gave a gentle headbutt on her leg to let her know everything would be fine!

“Thanks, Litten. I’m nervous about what he’s going to think about you. _Everyone brings evolved Pokémon to challenge Kabu… I don’t want him to believe that I’m raising you badly._ ”

I felt some pity for her concern but there was no need! I was going to try to tell more things to my friend but Toxtricity, aware of her anxiety, begun playing a groovy song babbling the words “[ _Jump off your mind mind!~_](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBGxUT5Bnl4)”. He wanted her to dance a little. Thwackey smiled with his idea and played along with his sticks! And I tap danced, singing along with my two adoptive brothers! _This worked!_ By the end of the music, Hope was much more relaxed. _Good one, Toxtricity!_

A staff member entered a few seconds later. “Participant number 725, Hope? It’s time. Please enter in the battlefield, Kabu is waiting for you there.”

“Sure! I’ll go!”

The Alolan girl looked to each of us. She frowned with determination.

“You guys are phenomenal! Whatever it happens, we’ll get out of the stadium with our heads lifted!”, she told us. We did a circle where we placed our hands and paws one over the other. “We’ll give our best, ok? _We’re brave!_ _We’re determined! We’re made of fiber!_ ”

“ _YEAH!_ ”, we shouted with our arms lifted.

It was time! We’ve walked behind Hope in that corridor with the walls adorned with publicities and photographs of Kabu and his Centiskorch. Thwackey gave a “brofist” to Toxtricity. They were confident! Hope winked to our big baby brother. I was certain that she was going to bet in him for this Gym. When our Trainer looked forward, her expression had changed. _There he was. Motostoke’s Gym Leader, with his red clothes and a scarf around his neck._ He looked to her and sketched a smile, tilting his head to the battlefield. She nodded firmly and we all got out from the corridor. _So many lights!_ And there was more public than the one of Hulbury, although there were many free seats. Once each Trainer stepped on their own spot of the center of the space, Kabu begun to talk to the challenger with his arms crossed on his back:

“ _Welcome!_ I am Kabu, the Fire-type Gym Leader. Yours?”

“ _Hope!_ ”, she responded assertively.

“Hope, the fact that you are here means you’ve bested both Milo’s Grass-type Pokémon and Nessa’s Water types, too. That’s quite an accomplishment! Every Trainer and Pokémon trains hard in pursuit of victory. But that means your opponent is also working hard to win. In the end, the match is decided by which side is able to unleash their true potential. How many Pokémon are you going to battle with?”

“Three.”

Kabu leaned his body a little to the side to observe us. “Are they that group?”

“Yes.”

The man kept his visual contact on us Pokémon, but I’ve noticed that he observed me for longer. He looked again to Hope, noting a detail:

“725. Is there a particular reason for you to choose this number?”

The red-haired girl gave me a quick glimpse and was honest with the man: “That’s because it’s the global Pokédex number of my first partner: Litten!”

“That’s right!”, I meowed.

“I see you’re a foreigner. Which region are you from?”

“I live in Kanto, but I was born in Alola. That’s where I’ve met Litten and begun my journey as a Pokémon Trainer!”

“I see. So that means you’ve taken the Island Challenge! How many Z-Crystals do you possess?”

“All the known elemental types. And an Incinium-Z.”

“ _Nineteen_ crystals?”

Us four nodded in affirmation. Kabu closed his eyes, smiling for the second time and very briefly. “Interesting.”, he commented. “It isn’t every day that I have challengers who are native from Alola. From the battles I remember to have had with fellow countrymen of yours, they were always intense. That’s very linked with your culture. If you managed to collect more Z-Crystals than the minimum number required to accomplish the Island Challenge then you must be a talented Trainer. And your Pokémon must mirror that greatness. Are you ready to battle?”

“ _We’re ready!_ ”, she frowned.

“Very good. Go to your mark over there. And good luck.”

“Thank you, Kabu.”

While moving to our corresponding edge, we begun listening to familiar voices: “ _HOPE!! HOPE!! OVER HERE!!_ ”. Ash and Goh were in the seats behind our area! “ _Good luck! YOU CAN DO THIS!!_ ”, Ash shouted effusively. “ _Stay focused! Remember what we’ve studied!_ ”, Goh added. Pikachu, Riolu and Raboot were cheering on us as well! Sobble was quiet but he smiled, his own way to give us good energies. Hope was happy to see that her friends were watching closely on her official Gym battle. With everything set, a voice spoke on the stadium’s speakers:

“ _Everyone welcome to Motostoke Stadium!_ _Thank you for coming! Today you’ll be assisting to an official Gym Battle of the participant 725, Hope! Give a good applause to this young Trainer native from Alola who has collected the first two badges of our region!_ ”

“ _I’m getting a little more nervous with these applauses, there are much more people than when we’ve battled Nessa…_ ”

“ _The rules of Motostoke Gym are the following: Each Trainer can use three Pokémon for the combat. Only the challenger is allowed to switch their Pokémon. For them to get the Fire Badge, the Gym Leader’s three Pokémon must be knocked out._ ”

Hope nodded. These rules weren’t new for us already but I understand they need to say this as part of a protocol or something.

“Very well. Hope, show me what you and your Pokémon can do. _The battle begins now! Ninetales, come out!_ ”

The corresponding Pokémon was sent out from an Ultra Ball. That was a large canine!

“ _Wow, a Ninetales!_ ”, Thwackey commented in admiration. “Look at those tails!”

“Pretty, but not necessarily the nicest Pokémon around! Remember the 1000-year curse factor we’ve heard about? _Don’t touch the tails!_ ”, I alerted. It was the first time I was seeing the Kantonian form in real life. I only had met before the Alolan one. The same thing applied to Hope.

“ _So that’s the original look of a Ninetales… a Fire-type…_ ”, she commented to herself. “ _The boys told me about this Pokémon’s form this afternoon. Good call._ ”

“ _Hope!_ Bring out your first Pokémon!”

“ _Thwackey? Is it ok for you to go first?_ ”

“I thought you would never ask, Hope! _Let’s win this!!_ ”

“ _Be careful, bro!!_ ”

“Chill out, Toxtricity! I’m not scared of fire!!”

The Beat Pokémon went to the battling area. I heard the researching couple with my acute ears debating Hope’s choice.

“ _Thwackey?_ But this is going to be tough!”, Goh pointed out with some intrigue. “Grass-types are weak against Fire!”

“Hope must be betting on his speed.”, Ash opined with tranquillity. “Her Thwackey’s really fast. Even Riolu had some trouble to deliver him damage. Double Team sorted this problem. I’ve met a few Ninetales before and this Pokémon can be difficult to dodge from or to attack it because they’re very agile. Using Thwackey should balance things.”

“ _I see…_ ”

“A Thwackey? Are you sure that’s your first choice?”, Kabu asked.

“It is! He’s going to battle Ninetales!”

“Alright. You can do the first move!”

“You heard it, Thwackey! We can start! Use Work Up!”

And the simian removed the wooden sticks from his head to do a sort of a drum roll onto the ground. His muscles became more defined in the end of that play. Kabu gave his first order:

“Ninetales! Will-O-Wisp!”

 _Uh-oh!_ A mystic flame surrounded Thwackey, who tried to blow it off with his items. He gave a screech out of surprise after they touched him. _Our wacky brother was burnt!_

“ _Ah! Thwackey!_ ”

“Good attempt to increase your Pokémon’s attack power. But that was useless. Your Pokémon is now burnt and every time he’ll make an offensive move, he won’t manage to apply full power on them. Not to mention that it will drain him energy as well.”

Hope showed a sweat drop from her forehead while in frown. We did talk about biology traits of Ninetales with Ash and Goh, but we weren’t predicting this quadrupedal knew Will-O-Wisp. We were believing more in a Confuse Ray or something.

“Thwackey! Use Double Hit! _Let’s go!_ ”

“Nice magic trick, Ninetales! _But it is time to enter in my rhythm!_ DOUBLE HIT!”

“Avoid!”, Kabu ordered. The silent Ninetales did it as he asked for the first hit but our green ape managed to do some damage on the second one by catching a leg. Not a bad start, although it wasn’t a strong one due to Thwackey’s status condition. His teeth clenched out of pain. “Fire Spin!”

A ring of fire surrounded Thwackey. Hope yelped, shouting for his name. Toxtricity and I were worried. The battle wasn’t starting well for us. The Beat Pokémon was making an effort to stand up with all that fire. It was impressive how much he screeched, willing to keep going. Hope commanded to repeat a Double Hit after some hesitation, this time hitting the two times on the Ninetales, who wasn’t proclaiming a word and endured the damage. Kabu wasn’t giving any more instructions, limiting to observe the attacking Thwackey. The Metronome was giving some help. The more Double Hits he persisted in making under Hope’s command, the more noticeable was the pain on the Fox Pokémon. “ _You won’t say anything?! I’m winning this! I!... I… Argh!!..._ ”, Thwackey complained. He stopped to move because of the combination of the burn and the flaming vortex around his body.

“Ninetales, use Quick Attack!”

In an instant speed, Kabu’s Pokémon tackled Thwackey away to the floor. _Our brother had fainted! We were shocked!_ This first round ended a bit too quickly, even knowing that Grass-types like Thwackey have fire weakness.

“ _NO!! Thwackey!!_ ”

“ _The plan didn’t work…_ ”, Goh commented in nervousness.

“ _Hope’s not being herself…_ ”

“ _What?_ ”

“ _Thwackey could have done better down there._ _She isn’t battling the same way as she did with me this morning. I can feel that._ ”

“ _Do you mean, she’s nervous?_ ”

“ _Definitely._ But I did tell her to not worry about bringing Litten to this Gym.”

“Ash, have you thought that her loss this morning might have affected her?”

I saw Ash’s eyes opening more in realization. I had to agree with both points of view that I heard the boys saying on their seats. Hope took her loss very nicely but it might have subconsciously shaken her a little. Truth to be said, this was the second time Hope had ever lost a Pokémon Battle. _The girl’s not used to that… Hope, please don’t let the nervousness take control of you!_

“ _Hope. You’ve committed several mistakes with Thwackey._ ”, Kabu told her from afar. “ _I’m disappointed. I expected that you knew that I was making a patience game. The more Thwackey attacked, the weaker he was becoming because of Will-O-Wisp’s burn. And the more you spent time thinking about a command, the more damage he was getting from Fire Spin. His energy ran out in a pinch. Bring your second Pokémon!_ ”

“ _I didn’t think about these factors… I need to focus._ ”, I heard the girl whispering to herself with her clenched fists after making Thwackey return to his Nest Ball. “Toxtricity? _Let’s rock and roll…_ ”

“ _Oooh, yesss! I’ll do this for our brother!_ ”, he said confidently while punching one of the palms of his hand, going to the battling spot.

“ _Hope’s using Toxtricity now._ She should be safe with him, don’t you think, Ash?”

“He’s Hope’s strongest Pokémon. I noticed during this afternoon training that he already surpassed Litten’s power when compared with the times he helped us in both the warehouse and Cerise Park. And in less than two weeks.”

“Toxtricity has got a good moveset too. Rotom Phone also told us that his ability is Punk Rock. It boosts the power of sound-based moves like Overdrive and Boomburst. _He has both._ Combined with the Silk Scarf that Hope knotted on his right forearm, it makes Boomburst extra powerful. He hasn’t weaknesses to Fire either.”

“He’s got good odds to win the match. But only if Hope stays focused. _HOPE!!!_ ”

Our Trainer turned, surprised by Ash’s call.

“ _STAY FOCUSED! DON’T BE NERVOUS! THINK IN OUR MORNING BATTLE AS A TRAINING! YOU CAN WIN THIS GYM CHALLENGE!!_ ”

“ _Ash!..._ ”

“ _LOOK! CHLOE MIGHT NOT BE INTERESTED IN POKÉMON BUT SHE’S EXPECTING YOU TO WIN THE BADGE! DON’T DISAPPOINT HER!_ ”

“ _Goh!..._ ”

Hope flexed an arm with a thumbs up before turning her attentions again to the battlefield. _Yes, thanks kids!_ She needed your encouragements. “A Toxtricity.”, Kabu said. “A powerful Pokémon, but difficult to control him due to his predisposition to rebellion. Can you impose authority? Show us what he can do.”

“ _I can and I’ll show!_ Toxtricity! Thunder!”

“ _TASTE MY ZAP!!_ THUNDER!!”

“Run, Ninetales!”

 _Bummer, that powerful Thunder wasn’t fast enough to land over the Fox Pokémon’s body!_ Kabu gave other order:

“Use Will-O-Wisp!”

Hope smirked confidently. “ _I was expecting that._ Toxtricity! Use Overdrive on the flames!!”

Toxtricity spread his legs apart, moving his fingers on his chest protrusion. A loud guitar sound echoed in the stadium and an electric discharge caught the incoming move. The power was so strong that the Will-O-Wisp flames had vanished. _Even Kabu leaned backwards! Haha!_

“ _Whoaaa! Nice idea, Hope!_ ”, Ash shouted excitingly on his seat.

“ _Not bad._ _Not bad at all!_ A creative countering move.”, Kabu admitted. “ _Ninetales!_ Fire Spin!”

“ _Toxtricity!_ Use Poison Jab on the move! _Make a strong one and don’t stop running!_ ”

“Gotcha!! _HA!_ ”

 _Impressive!_ Not only the Poison Jab shielded him from getting hit as it also extinguished the fire! Kabu ordered his Pokémon to tackle my big baby brother with a Quick Attack. But Hope wasn’t worried. _I think this is what she wanted Ninetales to do._

“ _Now, Toxtricity!_ Boomburst!!!”

“I got _YOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO **OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOU!!!**_ ”,

 _By all the Guardians Deities of Alola! Such a loooud SINGING!!!_ The pitch almost made my head pop out from my reduced body! _I had to cover my ears!!_ And I think the public had to do the same because we couldn’t _even listen_ to the background music anymore! Ninetales flinched, not managing to make the Quick Attack. Hope took the opportunity to order again a Poison Jab, on the side. _Bam!!! A critical hit!!_ Ninetales whined as she dragged a few meters away from the Punk Pokémon’s strong move. The Rotom Drone confirmed it to the battlers and spectators: She fainted! _Niiice!_ Two Pokémon to go! We were tied!

“ _Good work, Toxtricity!!_ ”, Hope complimented enthusiastically.  
  
“ _This was for Thwackey! Haha!_ ”, he winked and tried to tell this to her.

“Thank you, Ninetales.”, Kabu thanked his exhausted Pokémon before making her return to her Ultra Ball. The Gym Leader took other one and told Hope with a neutral look:

“Using Boomburst was intelligent. It’s necessary a lot to make my Ninetales stop running. Very few have managed to do this with her. _Go! Arcanine!_ ”

 _Oh my, that was the second canine today._ The aggressive look on his eyes demanded some respect. Toxtricity’s woozy smile while frowning made it clear for me that he felt a bit intimidated. Hope did a reflection pose. I heard her mumbling low to herself:

“ _Arcanine… I did see Growlithe already, but never its evolution. I’ve heard it’s also quick-moving… So, I must ensure it doesn’t approach Toxtricity…_ ”

“Majestic, isn’t it? You’ve probably heard about his running capabilities. I wonder if your Toxtricity can deal with that as well. _Arcanine!_ Agility!”

Arcanine chuckled as he surrounded Toxtricity, who wasn’t leaving his spot. Our brother was focused, looking to where he was going.

“ _Toxtricity!_ Use Thunder!”

He obeyed. The move didn’t hit Arcanine but it made the Pokémon detour and stopping to run. Kabu gave a new command: “Use Flame Wheel now!”

 _Ah! Flame Wheel!_ Hope and I knew this move. It both attacks the opponent as it makes the user quicker the more they apply it. Kabu really wanted to show that Ninetales was just a test. The Legendary Pokémon was much faster, no doubt about it. Toxtricity got hit, due to his overall slowness. He isn’t very quick, so I doubted Hope would ever ask him to use Poison Jabs.

“ _Are you ok, Toxtricity?!_ Good!”, she said after seeing my big baby brother nodding in frown. “ _It’s time for a concert!_ Boomburst again!!!”

There it went again. _My ears were going to feel this the day after…_ The purple Pokémon opened his throat the most as he could. Arcanine was still running for other Flame Wheel, but he wasn’t as fast as he should be. He barked out of complaint with the destructive noise Toxtricity was doing. The lack of focus of Arcanine was enough for Toxtricity to avoid getting hit by moving away like if he was dancing. A similar technique to the one he did back in the day of the kidnap!

“ _Arcanine is insisting with Flame Wheel, Toxtricity!_ _That will make him faster and faster the more he uses the move! You’ve got to prevent that!_ Use Overdrive! _Give everything you’ve got!!_ ”

Toxtricity used the requested move. _He looks so cool every time he does that Overdrive._ And he really wanted to win this, so he went for a stronger one than the Overdrive used on Ninetales earlier! The advantage of this unique move is that he gets completely covered by electric charge. So, it is pretty much impossible to avoid getting zapped if one tries to hit him. Toxtricity released all the energy. _It was so intense that it spread to a large area, electrifying Arcanine that was a little further._

“ _AH!_ ”, Kabu interjected of surprise.

“ _Alright!_ USE THUNDER!”

“ _YAAAAAAAAH-HAAAAAAAA! FEEL THE ENERGY, ARCANINE!_ ”

 _Zap!!!_ _That must have hurt because Arcanine fell to the side unconscious!_ _FANTASTIC, BROTHER!!!_ At this day I needed to give my kudos to Toxtricity after the battle because he was on _fire, literally_! I never saw an Overdrive as powerful as that one! This had even impressed our group of friends behind. I heard their “ _whoas_ ” and other types of positive things. “Thank you as well, Arcanine.”, Kabu told his Pokémon. He was now left with one Pokémon. _The tables had turned to our favour!_ At least that’s what I thought for a few minutes.

“ _Such power!_ Your Toxtricity’s Overdrive has a very impressive area of coverage. You’re clearly raising it well! You would make Electric-type Gym Leaders jealous; I’ve got to tell my honest opinion!”

Hey, that was a really nice compliment! Toxtricity smirked out of pride, playing a random accord on his chest. Hope was flustered for a brief moment. But she responded:

“Thank you, Kabu! Your Pokémon are fantastic as well! This was my first time seeing a real original form of a Ninetales and a real Arcanine!”

The Gym Leader did a deep breath. He said the following:

“ _Light that fire and get your mind moving, Kabu! There still must be a path to victory! Your turn, Centiskorch!!_ ”

 _OK!!_ Here’s the famous Radiator Pokémon! It was _big_ , it was _mean-looking_ and he wasn’t even _blinking_ to the staring Toxtricity was making. Hope observed Kabu’s signature Pokémon cautiously. She was probably thinking about all things that Goh had discovered about it thanks to his Rotom Phone.

“Toxtricity should be able to take it down. _Don’t let your guard down!_ ”, the sweatshirt boy was saying on his seat.

“ _You’re close, Hope! Toxtricity! Show Centiskorch that you’ve studied him!_ ”, his boyfriend added. Sadly, Hope didn’t listen to them, she was too focused in making up a strategy.

“ _Toxtricity! We’ll continue your vocal solo concert!_ Use Boomburst!!”

 _Eeeeep! Rest in peace, internal ears!_ Centiskorch didn’t seem as disturbed as his buddies earlier. _Strange!_ Everyone in the group agreed that Boomburst would be the best option against the Radiator Pokémon in a face-to-face scenario between the two! _Did we miss a detail?!_

“Centiskorch! Use Coil!”

The large insect curled itself. We studied that this status move can be dangerous for us adversaries if used often. Hope was aware of this.

“ _Keep it up! Stronger, Toxtricity!!!_ ”

Toxtricity increased the volume of his organic speaker hidden somewhere inside that mouth. _But how in the world that ribbon-alike bug wasn’t greatly affected by it?!_ “Smokescreen!”, his Trainer commanded. Now I couldn’t see any of the participants! _Where was Centiskorch?!_

“ _It’s no use!! Why is Boomburst not as effective as with Ninetales and Arcanine?!_ ”

“ _Flame Wheel!_ ”

“ _GAAAAAAAAH!!!_ ”, Toxtricity yelled out of pain, hit right on his neck. The smoke dispersed and my brother coughed.

“ _Again! Flame Wheel!_ ”

“ _Ah no, that’s not gonna happen! Toxtricity!! Overdrive!!! AVOID GETTING HIT!!_ ”

“ _DON’T BUG WITH A ROCKER!!!_ OVERDRIVE!!”, Toxtricity yelled to his fire-adorned adversary, furiously performing the requested move with an [aggressive electric guitar tune](https://youtu.be/GJgXh1LlwJc?t=180). The electric energy collided with Centiskorch’s body in fire. The large insect was using all his strength to overcome the offensive move power and managed hit again in Toxtricity’s chest. Almost thirty seconds later, Centiskorch shouted as he broke through the Overdrive’s barrier and touched the intended target. _TOXTRICITY!!! A HUNDRED SWEET MALASADAS! BROTHER!!! He fainted!! We were in trouble!!_

“ _Ah!_ ”, shouted Hope. “ _Toxtricity!..._ ”

The girl looked to the Rotom Drone announcing that Toxtricity was uncapable to battle. Hope smiled humbly and told the Punk Pokémon stretched out over the floor:

“ _You did great… Thanks a lot, my friend!_ ”

Kabu observed my Trainer retreating Toxtricity back to his Ultra Ball. The girl’s red eyes looked to my yellow ones. She was unsecure. As much I understood that she had faith that Toxtricity could solve the entire battle alone, at the same time I wanted to prove her that I could take care of the famous Radiator Pokémon in Kabu’s possession. I nodded assertively with my serious look. Hope retrieved a quick smile. And there I went, to the center of the left half of the battlefield. The Gym Leader leaned forward with his limbs flexed as he kept looking to me, smirking a few moments later.

“ _Your Litten is with wrath._ She wants to battle! More than her Trainer.”

“ _M-More than me?!_ ”

“Hope. I’ve battled a countless number of challengers with the years. Each person is not equal. And you are no exception. Something is bothering you, I’m sure. Someone that obtained nineteen Z-Crystals and two Gym Badges should have a bigger flame burning inside! Right now, it is shaky and diminishing. The total opposite of what I experienced from fellow countrymen of yours that battled me before. You don’t seem to be a native from Alola!”

Holy Arceus, that was difficult to listen to. Hope didn’t like it. Her pupils shrunk. I looked to the seats behind her. I think the children and their Pokémon heard this too. They were concerned by her lack of reaction. The red-haired girl clenched her fist and shut her eyes tight. She was trembling and begun talking to herself:

“ _He’s right… I must stop worrying about Litten being unevolved… and I must stop worrying about having lost against Ash. Afterall, he’s the Champion of Alola… And he’s participating in the World Coronation Series… He’s among the top thousand best Trainers of the world right now! Litten has full trust on you, as well your friends. She wants to battle. She needs my instructions…”_

“ _Hope!!_ ”, I meowed for her attention. “ _Come on, girl!_ _I can’t battle alone and you know it!_ I need your fighting spirit again! That intense flame that Kabu was talking about!”

Kabu and Centiskorch stared sternly to my Trainer, waiting for a response. The clock was ticking. At any moment Rotom Drone could send her a warning. And Ash looked unquiet, someone with a bold will to climb over his seat to snap Hope out of her insecurities. Something had to be done… _Wait! I knew!!_ I inhaled deeply and exhaled[. I began making the _Battling Haka_](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_KsLy94Ids), declaiming out loud words in the Alolan language. Both humans lifted their eyebrows. Centiskorch opened more one of his eyes with curiosity about what was I doing. Hope was surprised I had decided to make the _haka_ own my own. _Come on, come on!_ _This works better in group!_ Thankfully, I had reached her heart. _Thanks, Tapu Bulu if you were watching us!_ Hope had joined my _haka_. The girl declaimed the words and made sounds with her body. Now we were talking! And it seems that the audience liked it! Kabu smirked, commenting:

“ _Finally, the true battle will start._ Centiskorch! Coil!”

The large insect coiled itself to rise up a few stats. His defences were probably more solid at this point. But I wouldn’t get intimidated by that.

“ _Litten!!_ Use Headbutt!”

“ _AHHH! STEP ASIDE!_ ”

“ _GAAH!!_ ”, complained Centiskorch, being pushed a little away with the impact. “ _Strong head…_ ”

“ _Smokescreen!_ ”

“I can’t see Centiskorch on this black curtain! _Hope!_ _What’s next?!_ ”

“ _JUMP HIGH!_ AND USE ACROBATICS!”

“ _I was forgetting about this!!_ HERE IT COMES!”

I jumped on different directions to perform the move. My whiskers helped me to understand during the Acrobatics where was the body of the Radiator Pokémon, allowing me for multiple super-effective landings.

“ _YOU’RE DOING GREAT, GIRL!_ ”, she complimented me euphorically. “ _DON’T STOP!_ ”

“Teaching Litten to use Acrobatics is clever. _But you need more than that to take down my Centiskorch!_ Use Bug Bite!”

“ _Whoa!!! EASY WITH THOSE FAAAANGS!_ ”

He grabbed my scrag and threw me far. The smokescreen had dispersed. Even for a Bug-type move this hurt more than I would have wanted to! It must have been Coil’s compensation. Hope spoke low to herself again:

“ _I can’t ask Litten to use Flamethrower. I know that his Centiskorch’s ability is Flash Fire, that would complicate things even more to her… Double Kick isn’t very effective either… Either Acrobatics or Headbutt. What to do…_ ”

Seconds later her facial expression changed. She observed the cracks on the battlefield’s floor and then to her arm. She smiled confidently and talked to me:

“ _Litten? Prepare for Dynamaxing!_ ”

“ _D-DYNAMAXING?!_ HOPE! WE’VE NEVER TRAINED THIS BEFORE! YOU ONLY DID IT WITH TOXTRICITY AND THWACKEY! _I WON’T ENTER IN THAT POKÉ BALL!!_ ”

“If Ash can do this without a Poké Ball, _I can do it too!_ ”, she optimistically told this to me, understanding my anxiety. The girl tied her hair with her elastic. I could hear Ash shouting extremely excited “ _SHE’S TYING THE HAIR! THIS IS SERIOUS!! GO FOR IIIIT!_ ” with Goh trying to make sure he was keeping still on his seat despite of being also enthusiastic about the situation. And they were right! When my Trainer ties her hair, it’s because she’s going to leave _everything on fire_!! It’s like the stadium’s staff knew about this too because the building’s speakers [begun playing a very fitting music out loud](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5IjM3xIgr4)! Hope lifted her arm-wearing Dynamax Band and yelled out of her lungs:

“ _I KA HUI ANA HE KEKAHI MAKAHI NUI, LITTEN!_ _HELE! E ala aʻe! E LOA I KA NANI!_ _DYNAMAX!!!_ ”

 _Oh!! What was happening?!_ A strange red energy surrounded my body and…!! _AND!!! **OH MY ARCEUS!!!!** I GREW ON SIZE LIKE A TOTEM POKÉMON FROM ALOLA BUT MUCH BIGGER!!! _I DYNAMAXED?! THOSE RED CLOUDS ABOVE ME AND MY WHISKERS GLOWING PINK LIKE IF I WAS USING THOSE NEW YEAR REVEILLON STICKS COULD ONLY MEAN THAT!! _LOOK AT ALL THOSE HUMANS AS TINY AS POKÉ BEANS!!!_ And they were amused, judging by all the cheering! _And it was so tough to keep my balance!!!_

“ _WHOAAAA! DYNAMAX LITTEN! THIS IS AWESOME, GOH!!_ ”

“ _I KNOW, RIGHT?! I’M GOING TO RECORD THIS!!_ ”

_Wait, WHAT?! YOU WERE GOING TO RECORD ME, GOH?! I NEVER DID THIS BEFORE, LAD!!!_

“ _LITTEN!_ _IT’S NORMAL TO FEEL STRANGE BUT CALM DOWN AND SPREAD WELL YOUR LEGS!!!_ ”, Pikachu shouted to me on his Trainer’s lap. “ _YOU’LL GET USED TO IT! JUST MAKE SURE THAT YOU DON’T FALL!_ ”

 _Wow, thanks, Pikachu!!!_ I frowned with determination, pleased for the tip. I would trust him and do as he said. And I really needed to because Kabu wouldn’t stay quiet down there observing a giant feline that could potentially use his Pokémon as a bow for the neck in a glamour festival.

“You didn’t use a Poké Ball? _Impressive!_ If you want a Dynamax battle, let’s make things _even_! _BURN BRIGHT, CENTISKORCH! LET GIGANTAMAX CHANGE YOUR SIZE AND YOUR FORM!_ ”

Kabu’s eyes became fire. _No, I’m not joking._ I _did see_ flames on his eyes as he made Centiskorch go to his Ultra Ball. The object had turned to a giant Premier Ball-alike pattern and the man threw it way high. My opponent’s length multiplied by I don’t know how many times but he had changed his form!! I would be lying if I didn’t say I was becoming a little worried once that guy yelled upon the transformation and showcasing the cloud trio over his tail tip.

“ _Gigantamax Centiskorch…_ ”, Hope said to herself, amazed by the sight.

“ _FLAMES ALWAYS BURN UPWARDS, AND SO WE’LL ALWAYS AIM TO GO HIGHER. YOU UNDERSTAND, DON’T YOU? CENTISKORCH! G-MAX CENTIFERNO!!_ ”

The Pokémon obeyed to Kabu’s command. Centiskorch positioned itself in a sinuous way. I could now see why humans call him the Radiator Pokémon. A huge fire got expelled from the blinding bright yellow longitudinal chest. _And it hurt, despite of having a matching type!! AAAAH!_ And a fire vortex trapped me. _Fantastic!_ _I could slip and fall at any moment._ If that happened it would be over!! It was hard to move!! _SO HARD!!_ My thoughts were cut by a voice. One I wasn’t used to listen on this tone: “ _DON’T YOU DARE IN GIVING UP JUST NOW, LITTEN!!_ ”. _Raboot?!?!_ He was over the edge of the front seats, standing up and moving his arms like crazy, even astonishing both his Pokémon friends and the children! “ _I DON’T MIND YOU BEING DEFEATED BY PIKACHU! NOW DON’T LOSE AGAINST A POKÉMON THAT LOOKS LIKE A CARPET WITH LIGHTS: SOMETHING YOU WOULD TELL ME IT LOOKS LIKE!!!_ ”

 _I laughed!_ _A carpet with lights, that was a good one!_ However, I wouldn’t have done that comparison myself! _Hahaha!_

“ _WE’RE NOT SCARED OF FIRE! LITTEN! USE MAX AIRSTREAM DOWNWARDS!_ ”

 _Downwards? Alright! HAAA!!! Oh!!!_ It not only made me get out of that swirl of flames as they had extinguished themselves! Good thinking!

“MAX STIRIKE, NOW!”

 _OUUUCH!!_ This one almost made me fall because of the accidented floor! _I felt a bit slower too, I wasn’t not sure if it was related with the Max Move…!_

“ _I SUMMON THE WIND! LITTEN!_ AGAIN MAX AIRSTREAM! TO CENTISKORCH!”

I expelled that large wind mass towards the tall Bug-type. But because of the increased length he could avoid rather easily. _Arrrgh!!_ He started to chase my back with the long neck of his. “ _HOPE! THINK FAST!! WHAT DO I DO NOW?!_ ”

“ _If this keeps up, Litten will go back to normal size and it’s the end! Come on! Think! Think!! How to deal with a Pokémon with such length? The tail seems to barely move away from its place… The tail! THE TAIL!!! YES! THIS CAN WORK!!_ LITTEN! IT’S GAME TIME! BOSS SIXTY-FOUR! _LET’S DO LIKE THAT!_ ”

 _Oooooh!_ I saw what that girl meant!! That was an insane plan but I was all in to try it out! I jumped away in time before Centiskorch could grab my scrag with his sharp teeth again, rolling upon landing to reach quickly the Radiator Pokémon’s tail. I used my mouth to grab it tightly with the help of my opulent fang.

“ _H-Hey!!_ ”, Centiskorch yelped. “ _What are you doing?! AAAH!_ ”

“ _YES!_ NOW SPIN!!!”, Hope commanded me amused while mimicking a rope swing with her arm. “LIKE THIS!”

 _I was loving this._ The one that Raboot had nicknamed as the carpet with lights was screeching out of dizziness. _I spined and spined and spined with his long body, almost like if I was doing artistic gymnastics with a ribbon!_ The crowd was going wild, singing out loud those “ _Aaaaa-haaaa-aah! Larahahaaaaa-aaaah-ha!_ ”s with the background music.

“ _THROW NOW!!!_ ”

“ _SO LONG, GIGANTAMAX CENTISKORCH!!_ ”, I shouted before releasing him! The Pokémon slammed pretty badly towards one of the brick walls of the stadium! Catching the staff’s windows and shattering them. _I hoped the insurance company’s contract covered all risks!_

“ _CENTISKORCH!_ ”, the Gym Leader shouted in shock. The insect was having trouble to get out from the cracked wall and Hope had observed that:

“ _IT’S YOUR CHANCE!_ MAX AIRSTREAM!”

“ _REMEMBER THIS!_ HURRICANE LITTEN! MAX CATEGORY!!! _HAAAA!!_ ”

 _A direct hit!!! Yes!!_ He could thank the bricks of Motostoke, otherwise Centiskorch could have been gone with the wind. _No pun intended!!_ We had waited silently for a response. The Radiator Pokémon moved a little, moaning in pain. Then, the clouds vanished from his tail. Centiskorch went back to his original size, falling unconscious on the ground!! Rotom Drone went to look at it and after some inspection it confirmed his defeat on the speakers, and Hope’s victory! _WE WON, HOPE!! YEEESS!!!_ I returned to the normal size as well and raced to my Trainer’s arms, she glomped me tightly, _overjoyed!!_ Hope’s Nest and Ultra Balls opened unexpectedly. Thwackey and Toxtricity were screaming our names in euphory!!

“ _THAT WAS GROOVY!! AMAZING!!_ YEAH!!”

“ _THAT ROCKED SO HARD, LITTLE BIG SISTER!!_ I SAW EVERYTHING INSIDE MY BALL!”

“ _Thanks, guys!!_ It was Hope’s idea, though!”

“You two did the best you could! It was all teamwork!”, Hope had said while hugging us three! Kabu had already made Centiskorch return to his spherical object. The man approached us, cleaning the sweat from his head in good mood.

“I thought I would end up disappointed after I took down your Thwackey, but you showed me you’re truly an Alolan native! You and your Pokémon set Motostoke _on fire!!_ Great Trainer and great Pokémon! It’s no surprise that you won! I’m often regarded as the first real roadblock of the Gym Challenge, and yet you defeated me! Clearly, your talent surpassed my many years of experience. I still have much to learn! I know now that you and your Pokémon will become a fantastic team. I’m glad I could battle you today! Let me give you a Fire Badge as proof that you’ve defeated me!”

Both Trainers were shaking hands. Hope had a really lovely grin on his face, with her shining teeth glittering as much as her earring. Kabu handed over the Fire Badge, magnetically connecting to the other two inside the frame!  
  
“ _Alright!! The Fire Badge!!!_ ”, she said out loud in celebration, giving a big jump from the floor. We imitated her! Kabu was happy as well.

“Hope? Why were you nervous earlier? Was it because of what people say about me? I understand it can make Gym Challengers anxious.”

“ _Ah!... Well…_ ”, the girl blushed, stuttering a little. “Sometimes I get asked why am I challenging such strong trainers with an unevolved Pokémon. But Litten doesn’t want to evolve, yet she loves battling. I thought it was the best to respect that will and win the battles with a Litten.”

“Were Thwackey and Toxtricity with you in the Island Challenge?”

“No. Litten was my sole Pokémon in my journey throughout the islands.”

Kabu let out a sincere burst of laughter. Hope hummed in wonder.

“In all these decades of experience as a Fire-type Gym Leader in this industrial city, I _never_ saw a Litten like yours! She should be an Incineroar already at this point, from the power and skill she showed us in the battlefield. _Splendid battling potential!_ Your partner has the _wrath_ of the _Heel Pokémon_ inside her chest! Managing to take down a Pokémon much larger than her! And she didn’t need to be evolved to a Torracat or an Incineroar to do so! The fact you’ve accepted your Pokémon’s decision only shows the love you have for her. That’s much more important than the ambition to win a match through strength and evolution. _So, Hope!_ If anyone questions you or Litten’s decisions again, show them an _Alolan Haka_ and defy them for a combat!”

Hope’s eyes shone in emotion. _Mine too!_ It meant a lot for us to have a feedback from such an experienced Gym Leader of my own elemental type! We bowed, thanking him with great honesty. Toxtricity and Thwackey exchanged looks, smiling and making a subtle “brofist”. Our Trainer could now give a breath of relief and show off her most recent achievement to her family and friends as soon as she would stablish contact with them in the near future.

* * *

We were back to Motostoke Stadium’s façade around an hour later. Ash, Goh, Pikachu, Riolu, Raboot and Sobble were already waiting there. With no surprise, the majority received us with great enthusiasm.

“ _I DON’T EVEN KNOW WHERE TO START, HOPE!_ YOU AND YOUR POKÉMON WERE AMAZING BACK INSIDE!! I KNEW YOU COULD DO IT!!”

“ _Haha~!_ Thank you, Ash! Your words also greatly helped me to find my focus! The same goes for you, Goh!”

“I’m glad I’ve recorded everything! I not only have multimedia material to show at Cerise Laboratory as I can show this to Chloe at the first opportunity!”

“ _Y-You recorded?!_ ”

“ _Oh! Sorry!_ I thought it would be ok!!”

“ _Nononono! It’s alright, Goh!_ I just wasn’t expecting to be recorded… _Please tell me you didn’t film the whole battle!_ ”

“Just Litten’s!”

Hope gave a relief sigh. “ _OK, good._ Because I did many errors before and I don’t want Chloe to watch those!”

“Chloe will like the video, I’m sure! And who knows? Maybe she’ll get interested in Pokémon with your help! If she won’t listen to me, she should listen to you!”

Hope’s cheeks turned a bit red when Goh said that sentence. “ _That would be nice…_ I have faith that one day she’ll understand that Pokémon can be great. I’m not asking her to participate in battles or to capture Pokémon. Just enjoying learning and talking about them.”

“Hope, have you thought in participating in the World Coronation Series?”, Ash sincerely asked his friend. “ _You could reach far in it!_ Challenging strong opponents!”

Hope closed her eyes with a sketched smile on her lips.

“Why would I enregister myself when Ash Ketchum is one of the participants?” She answered with total sincerity, letting out a small laugh. “Other subscribers should just give up, pack their belongings and return home! They won’t stand a chance if they have to face you! Is there any doubt that you’ll enter the Master Class and defeat Leon? Because I don’t!”

“See, Goh?! Hope also believes I can do it!!”

“ _Hey! Hold on!_ I NEVER said you COULDN’T! I’m just worried that you might be caught by surprise if you keep up with that feeling of overconfidence!”

“I’ve already told you to not get worried about me! My Pokémon can do it!”

“ _They’re arguing again…_ ”, Riolu sighed a little awkwardly. 

“ _It will pass._ ”, commented Pikachu with the same state of mind. “ _Anyway!_ Congratulations, you three! You’ve battled well!”

“Thank you, Pikachu!”, we answered.

“Your advice was useful when I Dynamaxed!”, I winked.

“Scary, isn’t it? Your body becomes slower and heavier! It takes time to get used but for a first time getting Dynamaxed you did great!! Well done!”

“ _I could have done better against that Ninetales…_ ”, Thwackey shyly regretted. “ _I feel like I barely contributed for the combat._ ”

“ _Yo!_ You did your part! _We’re a team!_ You’ve helped us a lot in Hulbury Gym! I was still unexperienced in combats while you had the advantage of being a wild Pokémon before and challenging others! Drednaw got _shell shocked_ with your grassy moves!”

“You’re cool, Toxtricity! I’ll train more and help more in our next Gym Challenge!”

“That’s the spirit!”, I commented to my cool brothers. Hope in the meantime had calmed the boys down from their small argue and changed the subject.

“Where are you going now?”, Ash asked.

Hope checked her smartphone and replied: “Stow-on-Side! We’ll need to travel a lot to reach there. I’ll departure tomorrow morning. What about you?”

“There’s a flight to Kanto tomorrow in early morning. I was checking out on my Rotom Phone’s apps about the transportation schedules and right now it’s the peak hour of train departures. We’ll catch one to Wyndon and pass the night at the Pokémon Center. Then we’ll take a Corviknight Taxi to the airport.”, Goh explained.

“So, I guess it’s farewell time. Or rather: _a see you later!_ I’ll return to Kanto as soon as I’ve collected _all_ the eight Gym Badges!”

“I’ve got your discs with me! We’ll make sure they arrive safely to your house!”

“Thanks, Ash! I really appreciate your offer! Actually, I thank for _everything_ you did since yesterday!”

“No need to thank us!”

“Just be careful out there and good luck!”, Goh added.

“Well, we’ll see us in a few weeks, right?”

“That’s right, Pikachu! We’ll return!”, Toxtricity responded.

“ _Goodbye!_ ”, Sobble shyly told us. What a cutie! She waved to him, giving a farewell to the Water-type.

“Keep training! I want a rematch later, Litten!”

“Promised! The same thing goes for you, Pikachu!”

“I’ll look forward for that!”, the Mouse Pokémon happily said it.

Raboot wasn’t saying anything. His friends around had noticed that he wasn’t reacting. _Not that it was unusual but… I decided to approach him and ask:_

“Aren’t you going to say anything?”

“ _I’m not good with farewells._ ”

“ _OK… That’s fair._ Take care of everyone, including the boyfriends, ok?”, I said it in a good tone while returning to my spot.

“ _Litten?_ ”

“Yes?”

A small pause followed. “ _Nothing._ _Keep an eye on Hope and your brothers, will you?_ ”

 _Strange. I thought he wanted to say something else? What an odd Pokémon…_ I keep saying this since I’ve met this Rabbit Pokémon. But he’s a good buddy.

“It’s time. We must go now to the train station.”

“Alright. Good luck, Hope! _Keep it up!!_ ”

“Thank you, Ash! Have a safe trip you both! Send an Alola to Chloe when you see her.”, my Trainer winked.

The children waved along with their Pokémon. My group did the same. They had eventually left. We were on our own again. Hope smiled to us and said:

“I’m sure we’ll return to Kanto in a few weeks with plenty of stories to tell them. Shall we go to the record shop now? We could dine somewhere after.”

“Sure, Hope!”, we responded and followed her around. During the walk, Thwackey was whispering something to Toxtricity’s internal ear. They were giggling and this had sparked me some curiosity.

“ _What are you two gossiping about?_ There’s no secrets among us, you can tell!”

“We’re not gonna tell you!”

“Why not, Thwackey?”

“Because it is male Pokémon talk!”

“That’s too much selective for my taste, boys! Tell me what’s that secret about!”

“ _Should I say it, bro?_ ”

Thwackey shrugged. “It’s up to you! You know Litten better than me!”

“Alright. Little big sister? We think that Raboot has been acting weird lately.”

“ _Send out the confetti!_ Tell me something new, Toxtricity! That’s no secret because I’ve noticed about it. Bug-type Pokémon here must have bitten him _very badly_. I’m surprised Goh didn’t notice anything.”

“ _Uh… I actually believe he did already. And he knows what’s about._ ”

“Do you?”

“ _…Perhaps._ ”

_I hate when he makes that derpy smile and Thwackey starts to wheeze uncontrollably._

“I don’t know if I’ll survive in Galar with both of you!”, I vented out slightly annoyed.

“ _I don’t know if Litten will survive if she learns about the truth…_ ”, Thwackey whispered to Toxtricity in a teasing tone.

“ _I HEARD THAT!_ Spit it out, Galarian ape! _What truth?!_ ”

“ _I’m not telling!_ ”

“What about you, Toxtricity?!”

“I already spoke too much, sis!”

“ _SPEAK…_ ”

The two gave a stupid smile to each other and begun playing a song with their musical instruments, singing out loud the words:

“[ _WHEN I'M WITH YOU BABY, I GO OUT MY HEAD! I JUST CAN'T GET ENOUGH! I JUST CAN'T GET ENOUGH!~_](https://youtu.be/_6FBfAQ-NDE?t=22)”

I gave a sigh that could resurrect pre-historic Pokémon buried from the ground and come up to the surface. I had absolutely _no idea_ what secret were they hiding from me and having so much fun not revealing it to me. _I was surrounded by a duet of music goofs!!_

**Author's Note:**

> It's good to keep up with promises and to support your buddies, don't you think? If you're into the videogame culture it's correct to think that few games have inspired me for some scenes throughout this chapter. :)
> 
> Coming soon somewhere this fourth quarter of 2020, chapter 6! Litten will have more things to tell you!
> 
> (EDIT December 2020: Sadly a few things have happened in my side and the 6th chapter is delayed to late January/late February 2021!)
> 
> Thank you for your reading! And extra have caution for this year's cold season! Wash your hands, wear a mask and follow your National Health Authorities' recommendations! It will be a complicated Winter for everyone, stay safe!


End file.
